Carragher declares when and why Liverpool will sack Slot as Alonso, Gerrard masterplan revealed

Jamie Carragher insisted Arne Slot won’t have a leg to stand on at Liverpool if one thing happens amid the Reds contacting Xabi Alonso and Steven Gerrard saying YES to returning.

Carragher curiously attempted to scapegoat Mohamed Salah for Liverpool’s omnishambles of a season at the tail-end of 2025. However, it’s finally dawned on the Sky Sports pundit that the problems at Anfield run far deeper than a declining winger.

When assessing Liverpool’s lame duck season on Monday Night Football, Carragher declared Liverpool “can’t cope” with the three most important things a leading Premier League club must deal with right now – set pieces, counter-attacks and penetrating low blocks.

It is the manager’s job to address those issues, yet we’re over half way through the campaign and the Reds are treading water in each department.

Liverpool haven’t won any of their last five league matches and now sit outside of the top four. And according to Carragher, it is the missing out on Champions League qualification that he believes will prompt Liverpool to sack Slot in the summer.

After describing Liverpool’s last five league games as “nowhere near good enough”, Carragher added: “Liverpool, I think as a club and a support, can accept an almost collective responsibility around not winning the league this year and not challenging.

“They’ll accept it, not good enough, but they’ll accept it. But once you start seeing what Manchester United have done in the last couple of weeks, and what Chelsea have done, and when you start seeing where Liverpool could actually finish, outside the Champions League positions.

“As I said, I really fear for them because they’re not equipped for Premier League football. Once you start fearing Champions League qualification for next season that’s when I think we’ve got a completely different proposition when we’re talking about the manager’s job.

“That for me is completely different. If we’re talking about not winning the league, or challenging, that’s collective responsibility, Liverpool don’t win the league every year.

“Not making the Champions League from champions, spending £450m and having the highest wage bill in the league, which is the biggest determining factor normally about where you finish in the league, I think you’ve got serious questions to ask.”

When asked by presenter Dave Jones if it’s ‘Champions League [qualification] or bust?’ Carragher replied: “Yeah. Listen, I think some of the criticism and disrespect he’s had from Liverpool supporters has been far too much considering he won the league title last season.

“But if you don’t qualify for the Champions League having won the title the season before and spent as much as Liverpool have, I don’t think you’ve got a leg to stand on.”

Alonso talks confirmed / Gerrard says YES

New broke in Spain a few days ago of Liverpool contacting recently-departed Real Madrid boss, Xabi Alonso.

Alonso is seeking a quick return to top-level management and sources have confirmed to TEAMtalk that those rumoured talks have indeed taken place.

However, while Carragher strongly suggested Slot will be given the rest of the season to turn things around, we’ve been told Alonso being on the market has significantly ramped up the pressure on Slot, and that a mid-season axing is possible if results don’t quickly improve. Slot is acutely aware Liverpool’s hierarchy greatly admire Alonso.

What’s more, sources also explained that perhaps Liverpool’s greatest ever player, Steven Gerrard, is emerging as a potential stop-gap solution.

Gerrard – who’s managed Rangers, Aston Villa and Al-Ettifaq in his post-playing days so far – has informed Liverpool’s hierarchy that he is prepared to step in on an interim basis should Slot’s tenure end prematurely in the coming weeks.

Gerrard could provide Liverpool with a new lease on life in their quest to qualify for the UCL, just as Michael Carrick has at Man Utd.

In that scenario, Gerrard would then serve as the bridge to Alonso who’d take charge in the summer.

After wrapping up their UCL group phase campaign against Qarabag on Tuesday night, Liverpool then face two difficult-looking clashes in the Premier League with Newcastle and Manchester City.

Failure to win those league matches and Liverpool slipping further and further away from UCL qualification could see the trigger on Slot’s reign squeezed.

Latest Liverpool news – Robertson hope / Man Utd battle for midfielder

In other news, Liverpool have informed Andy Robertson that a move to Tottenham remains an option for the final week of the window, but the deal hinges on Roma successfully sourcing a replacement for Kostas Tsimikas.

Elsewhere, Man Utd and Liverpool are set to engage in a fierce battle to sign the same midfielder.

READ MORE: Triple Liverpool signing to kickstart Xabi Alonso reign as contact made amid Arne Slot sack heat