Liverpool news: Arne Slot sack verdict delivered as summer transfer window 'regret' emerges
All the latest news from Anfield as Arne Slot's side face Aston Villa on Saturday evening with the Reds having lost their last four games in the Premier League
Liverpool will face Aston Villa on Saturday night with the Reds in desperate need of three points. Arne Slot's side are in the grip of a crisis that's seen them lose six out of their last seven games.
This is uncharted territory for Slot, who stunned the Premier League by winning the title in his maiden season last year. Liverpool's season hit a new low on Wednesday after they were beaten by Crystal Palace for a third time this term as the Eagles romped to a 3-0 win at Anfield over a second-string Liverpool side in the Carabao Cup fourth round.
The future of Slot is now a huge talking point amongst many fans. While the 47-year-old has credit in the bank thanks to his title triumph, the Reds are about to enter a crucial period that could shed more light on his position.
Liverpool follow the game with Villa with another home clash on Tuesday when they welcome Real Madrid to Anfield in the Champions League.
They then head to the Etihad to take on Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday week before the latest international break. Mirror Football now takes a look at some of the latest news coming out of Anfield, with Alan Shearer making a Slot sack claim, a former Red thinks Slot may regret Liverpool's summer spending while the Dutchman is also told how to fit Florian Wirtz into his side.
READ MORE: Liverpool stars told they've broken golden rule amid 'doubt' claims within Arne Slot's campREAD MORE: Every match Liverpool’s injured players could miss in tough spell for Arne SlotShearer delivers Slot sack verdict
Newcastle legend Alan Shearer has claimed that talk of Slot getting the sack is 'an overreaction' but admitted he will be under considerable pressure if Liverpool fail to beat Villa on Saturday night.
"In terms of Arne Slot losing his job – yes, without a doubt it's an overreaction. He did a great job last year," Shearer told Betfair.
"I know he came into a very good football club with some excellent players, and they didn't add a lot to it, hardly anything, really. But he still did a great job last year, and obviously Liverpool are really struggling now.
"I wouldn't say crisis just yet - but they're in a very sticky situation. We might have to use the word crisis if Villa beat them at Anfield on Saturday. For now, I'd say it's a sticky situation rather than a full-blown crisis.
"I thought it was a huge gamble that backfired against Palace. Having said that, if they win on Saturday and again on Tuesday, then from his point of view it could prove to be the right decision - because the Carabao Cup would have been low on the priority list
"But when you're a club already struggling and desperately in need of a result, it's risky to put out that sort of side and those substitutes. If you lose narrowly, say 1–0 to a dodgy decision - fine. But when you're battered at home and Palace fans are singing 'Can we play you every week?', that's damaging.
"We won't know the full extent of the fallout until after Saturday evening's result. It's put more pressure on the players who'll come back in for the Villa game at Anfield. If they win, he'll say it was the right decision - but they have to win now after that selection."
He added: "If they lose on Saturday, I don't see them in the title race. If they win, build confidence, they've still got the quality to go on a big run. Saturday evening is huge - another defeat, and I think they're out of it."
Ex-Liverpool star makes transfer window claim
Liverpool's summer transfer window was the envy of the Premier League. However, despite their huge outlay reaching above £400 million, the Reds shed the likes of Caoimhin Kelleher, Jarell Quansah, Harvey Elliott, Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez from their squad.
They also failed to add Marc Guehi after a deal for the Palace defender fell through at the eleventh hour. And speaking after the Carabao Cup defeat to Crystal Palace, Slot bemoaned the lack of depth in his squad compared to rivals.
"I saw [Manchester] City's line-up and I don't think they had one starter from the weekend but it felt as if - if you look at their line-up - that they had played with their 11 starters," Slot said.
"Maybe that gives a little bit of an insight that everybody has always said how big of a squad we have. When we played Chelsea I said they are missing eight but they can still bring Estevao in.
"We are only missing four players at the moment and already we needed to start with four players under the age of 19. After I made two substitutions we were on six."
Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock believes the comments show Slot is unhappy with the Red's transfer window activity as the Reds' business has actually left his squad short on numbers, despite the significant amount of money spent.
"Arne Slot has almost admitted there that the squad is not strong enough," the former Liverpool full-back said on BBC Radio 5 Live. "It was very much deflecting and making excuses.
He continued: "You're a team in the Champions League, yet you're moaning that you're playing a game two days later. You know that is going to happen. I felt there were a lot of excuses in there. You know your squad depth isn't the best, then your business hasn't been good enough in the summer."
Joe Cole offers Wirtz advice
Wirtz has had a tricky start to life at Anfield since arriving from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer. The £116 million star has started only two of the last five Premier League matches and not yet registered a goal or assist in the league.
However, former Liverpool man Joe Cole believes Wirtz would actually benefit from further time out of the first team. "Yes, Florian Wirtz’s signing has disrupted the Liverpool midfield, but not in a way that can be laid at Florian Wirtz's feet," said Cole.
"There's no doubt he's a top player. You don't play number 10 for Germany, and win the league over in the Bundesliga, and produce what he did at Bayer Leverkusen, without being quality. We know he's quality, and he's shown it in flashes.
"Don't lay the blame on the four players coming in, or the four players coming out, or the manager, it’s just a collection of everything." Cole believes Liverpool need something of a soft reboot to get their team clicking again.
"In hindsight, if Liverpool could do a restart of the season, they'd have probably put one or two players into the team, and we'll keep with what we're doing, and just gradually change it," he said. "By January, you'll start looking to get Wirtz into the squad, into the team regularly, giving the time to come off the bench."
Speaking to Paddy Power, Cole added: "Whether he's the right player for Liverpool or the Premier League, he's going to have to prove that. He can't shy away from that. There are certain players, good players, who go to clubs, and they just don't fit."
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