Steven Gerrard launches Arne Slot defense over 'transitional' Liverpool season

The former Liverpool captain has defended Arne Slot despite his recent controversial comments in press conferences, and outlined the priority for the rest of the season

Steven Gerrard praised Arne Slot's ability to handle the pressure this season

Steven Gerrard has backed Arne Slot to turn around Liverpool’s underwhelming season and feels the Dutchman has handled the pressure well.

The Reds headed into the midweek round of Premier League matches in sixth place, a major downgrade on Slot’s first campaign in England. That has hugely increased the spotlight on Slot, who this week admitted it would be an acceptable season if the Reds miss out on the Champions League places.

While the Liverpool head coach has made some confusing comments of late, and said on Tuesday that this is the most difficult campaign of his coaching career, Gerrard feels he has not lost his cool.

“I think he’s alluding to the fact that the spotlight in the Premier League is very different to Holland, with all due respect,” Gerrard said on TNT Sports ahead of Liverpool’s game against Sunderland.

“I think managing Liverpool is different compared to Feyenoord. A bigger spotlight and if you have a tough periods there are a lot more eyes and voices.

“There are a lot more opinions on you as an individual. I think he has handled it incredibly well in these tough times.

“Because he won the league in his first year and did ever so well in his first season and he's almost utopia from the off, it was always going to be a challenge to try and repeat that if you like, because winning the Premier League is very difficult, I know that more than anyone.”

It has been a tough season for Slot(Image: Getty Images)

Several key Liverpool figures have said in recent weeks that the Reds could still enjoy a special end to the season, with the side alive in the top-five race and still competing in two cup competitions.

That’s certainly a view held by Gerrard, but he reiterated that Champions League qualification must be the priority. “He [Slot] needs to just keep fighting and pulling his team where it needs to be at the end of the season,” opined the former Liverpool skipper.

“Because it is a transitional season with a lot of change, they have had injuries, we spoke about the [Diogo] Jota situation. A lot has happened in this season so far.

“He's still going really well in two cup competitions. That's got to be a big target, but the priority has to be Champions League football so that they can continue to invest in the team and in this group and then make it more competitive from a league point of view next year.”