John Arne Riise explains difference between Arne Slot and fired Enzo Maresca

Arne Slot has come under fire for the performances and results that Liverpool has put in at times this season, but he remains in post while Enzo Maresca left Chelsea on Thursday

Enzo Maresca shakes hands with Arne Slot before Chelsea vs Liverpool in the Premier League.(Image: Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Liverpool and Chelsea might only be three points apart in the Premier League standings, and it would be fair to say that neither team's season has gone entirely to plan.

But with the Stamford Bridge side seeking a replacement for Enzo Maresca, only one of the clubs has chosen to make a change in the dugout, despite calls in some quarters for Arne Slot to be under pressure at Liverpool.

Maresca departed Chelsea on New Year's Day, with the search underway for a successor. Slot, meanwhile, looks to have come through the most difficult period of the campaign, even if there was frustration at Anfield during the goalless draw with Leeds United.

"I was never worried that [Slot] was going to be sacked," former Liverpool defender John Arne Riise told Casinostugan this week.

"But some managers are quite good at leaving when they see there's no point, or they can't change how it is. That's the only thing.

"Honestly, he’s a fighter. I knew he was going to stay on and things would turn around. So, I was never in doubt about that.

"There were about six or seven games there that were really poor. But if you look back at the start of the season, I think there were four or five games we won in the last minute as well.

Arne Slot during a Liverpool training session.(Image: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

"So, it's been a season where we haven't been up to the standards we were last season. But hopefully now we can kick on. There are many games coming up and we just need to keep going."

The limit for Liverpool this season appears to be a Champions League finish, at least when it comes to the Premier League. Aston Villa is currently third, with Arsenal and Manchester City established as the top two.

Outside of the league, though, there is still plenty to play for. Liverpool will host Barnsley in the third round of the FA Cup next week and is in a good position to qualify for the Champions League knockout phase without the need for a play-off.

Finishing third or fourth and winning some silverware would make this a successful campaign for Liverpool, despite some struggles.

"I think it is clear and obvious that we hardly ever concede chances against the opponents we had in the last seven or eight games," Slot said after the 0-0 game with Leeds.

"But it is also clear and obvious that we find it quite hard to generate chances with all the ball possession that we had. That is not new for us this season.

"What the players try to do is keep trying, bring the ball to the wingers, make the inside runs, doing all the kind of things. But sometimes you need a bit of magic to unlock a game, or a set-piece.

"If that happens, all of a sudden, everything looks much nicer. But that is not our season until now."