Club Legend Reveals Liverpool's Brutal Deadline for Arne Slot's Future

Liverpool icon and former defender Jamie Carragher has made the shocking declaration that "Arne Slot has seven days to secure his position."

Carragher stands as an influential figure throughout English-speaking football media, sharing his perspectives with leading British and American networks. Forever connected to Liverpool after his 17-year playing stint at Anfield, the ex-center-back has endured the club's ongoing struggles.

The majority of criticism delivered by Carragher this campaign has targeted the squad. He's called for both Florian Wirtz and Mohamed Salah to be benched while questioning Virgil van Dijk's declining form. However, until now, Carragher has mostly defended Slot.

Just Wednesday evening, following a devastating 4–1 loss to PSV Eindhoven—Liverpool's ninth loss in 12 matches—Carragher opposed managerial changes. "Liverpool doesn't fire managers," he stated. "Liverpool, I believe, differs from nearly every European club where the coach reigns supreme. Managers receive patience."

That position has rapidly changed.

In his regular Telegraph column, Carragher afforded Slot merely three matches to demonstrate his value.

Liverpool's Upcoming Fixtures

Liverpool suffer their fourth straight defeat across all competitions. Arne Slot's second season struggles are becoming evident. pic.twitter.com/rD2CV6uVcf

The Reds face relegation-threatened West Ham United on Sunday before consecutive league encounters against promoted duo Sunderland (at home) and Leeds United (away). Carragher cautioned: "Collecting fewer than seven points will transform an already dire situation into an impossible one."

Maintaining an unbeaten streak during this period won't be simple. Championship playoff champions Sunderland currently rank higher than Liverpool in the standings. The Black Cats excel at employing defensive tactics that have consistently troubled Slot's title holders this season and possess dangerous counter-attacking and set-piece threats. Sunderland alone accounts for one-third of the Premier League goals scored against Arsenal's typically solid defense this campaign.

"Should things deteriorate further and the manager fails to discover solutions, the club will be forced to seek someone who can," Carragher worried.

Carragher: Liverpool Acted Like Minnows

Liverpool's current form has been absolutely catastrophic. pic.twitter.com/tdjLbDBJjO

Carragher traced Liverpool's decline back to last spring. The Reds exited the Champions League to eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain before suffering a heavy defeat to Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final. Following their mathematical Premier League triumph with a 5–1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in April, the team mentally checked out—quite literally.

Two fixtures remained when Slot was photographed celebrating in Ibiza, while several players departed for Dubai.

"Nobody wishes to appear overly serious, but the appropriate time for Ibiza and Dubai celebrations was following the final match against Crystal Palace, not beforehand," Carragher now argues, criticizing the team's overall mentality during their winless finish to the 2024–25 campaign.

Liverpool's Premier League Record Since Winning the Title in April

"At minimum, abandoning effort before the season concluded was deliberately unprofessional. At maximum, Liverpool conducted themselves like a small-time club capturing their maiden title," he fumed.

Setting aside Carragher's retrospective professionalism argument, he raises a compelling point regarding Slot's commitment to such an aggressively attacking philosophy this season.

"Somehow, a misconception has emerged that Liverpool must be an ultra-offensive team, gambling everything for victory without considering the risks of such reckless tactics," the former defender, who thrived under the defensively-minded Rafael Benítez, explained. "It seemed incorrect from this season's opening day, and has created the current chaos."

Liverpool have shipped 10 goals in their last three outings. It required 17 games under Slot for the Reds to reach double figures last season. If they hope to achieve the victories Carragher believes the Dutch manager needs to keep his position, they must certainly shore up their defense over the next week.