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Jamie Carragher reckons Arne Slot is "now under pressure" at Liverpool after Saturday's 3-0 loss to Nottingham Forest.
Questions have mounted regarding Slot's position with the Reds tumbling to 11th in the Premier League standings following a dozen fixtures. The campaign began brilliantly with five consecutive top-flight triumphs, defeating Bournemouth, Newcastle, Arsenal, Burnley, and Everton.
Yet Liverpool's form has been abysmal recently, suffering six defeats in their previous seven league outings - a sequence that has plunged the team into the division's lower reaches. While the Reds have secured three wins from four Champions League encounters, they also exited the Carabao Cup following a 3-0 reverse against Crystal Palace at Anfield.
It has proved a challenging period for Slot, who faces mounting scrutiny with Liverpool dropping as many Premier League contests as it has claimed this campaign.
"Obviously, the manager is the one in the firing line," Carragher said on Monday Night Football. "Any manager with results like that, if they were part of the bottom four or a promoted team, would be under pressure.
"There's no doubt the manager is under pressure now with results like that on the back of being champions, but also the fact of what Liverpool spent in the summer."
Slot was brought in as Jurgen Klopp's replacement at Liverpool in 2024 and steered the Reds to Premier League glory in his debut campaign.
Nevertheless, despite investment of around $600 million in the transfer market, Liverpool has taken a step backwards.
In his critique of Liverpool, Carragher singled out Mohamed Salah and suggested the Reds striker should "come out and speak for the team," rather than leaving it to captain Virgil van Dijk.
Carragher pointed out that Salah frequently addressed his contractual circumstances publicly last season, yet argued that he has chosen to stay quiet while the Reds endure a troublesome period.
He added: "I think Virgil van Dijk, after the game, has come out again and spoke as he should do as the captain and called Liverpool a mess. I must say, on the back of all these Liverpool defeats, it's always Van Dijk who comes out.
"And as I have said, the captain should do that, but there should be other players in that dressing room coming out and speaking for the club.
"A year ago this weekend, Mo Salah wasn't shy in coming out and speaking about his own situation, about the club not offering him a contract. I only ever hear Salah speak when he gets man of the match, or he needs a new contract.
"I would like to see Salah come out as one of the leaders, one of the legends of Liverpool, come out and speak for the team. It shouldn't always be the captain."
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