Can the FA Cup Save Arne Slot’s Job?
Arne Slot faces growing pressure as Liverpool F.C. chase FA Cup hopes to rescue a tough season after their win over Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Liverpool's Premier League title defense may have ended months ago – but they still have a chance to save their season.
Three days after a painful stoppage-time defeat to Wolves, when they were sixth in the table, Arne Slot's side returned to Molineux to secure a place in the FA Cup quarter-finals.
And goals from Andy Robertson, Mohamed Salah, and Curtis Jones helped them advance with a comfortable 3-1 win.
With the Champions League last-16 tie against Galatasaray still remaining – starting with the first leg in Turkey on Tuesday – all is not lost for sure.
"He has to stay positive and try to cut through the noise. Fans and journalists ask him a lot of questions - he has to stay calm.
"But in the next six to eight weeks we'll know where we are with Liverpool."
Noise is putting it lightly. Last month, Slot admitted it was "by far" the most difficult season of his career, with a £450 million summer spending spree not being matched by performance and results.
Speaking after Friday's win over Wolves, captain Virgil van Dijk admitted the campaign had been "very difficult for many reasons."
He told TNT Sports: "The FA Cup is very important for us - as always, but especially this season. Hopefully, we can keep moving forward.
"Winning silverware has always been our goal. I've had the opportunity to witness many good nights winning silverware with this beautiful club, and that's our only goal."
'It's a real battle for Liverpool'
After winning the title in style in his first season after replacing Jurgen Klopp, Slott has found life more challenging and challenging this time around.
They are 19 points behind leaders Arsenal and outside the top five on goal difference with nine games remaining.
Nine defeats in 12 matches between September and December ruined the season, at least in the league and Carabao Cup, but Slott's players have lost just three of their 23 games since that period.
Yet former Liverpool midfielder Murphy, who played 249 matches for the club, believes Slott needs to win the FA Cup or Champions League to save his job.
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He said, "Two of the five new signings have done well. Of the players who were there last season, only one or maybe two have played at that level. That's not enough." "All these factors came together, which no one expected. You can only try to rebuild and come back and find some success by winning a cup.
"The Champions League is going to be tougher, it's a real challenge for Liverpool to win.
"When you're at the top, even if you're having a bad season, Liverpool expect you to win something."
"For Slot, he needs something positive at the end of this season so – I think – he can keep his job."
The old guard did well – while 'Special' Nguemoha impressed
Against Wolves, the old guard worked for Slot, with Salah, Robertson, and Jones leading Liverpool to victory.
Salah's reputation and spotlight grew even more this season when he accused the club of "throwing me under the bus" in a scathing interview in December.
He soon departed for the Africa Cup of Nations, Egypt lost to Senegal in the semi-finals in January, and the forward has now scored four goals in 11 games since his return.
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Still, the 33-year-old is nowhere near the level he reached last season, when he scored 34 goals in all competitions. and Liverpool won their second Premier League title.
The forward had a lackluster first half at Molineux before adding Liverpool's second goal – although the quality of Robertson's cross was too good to miss.
It appears Salah and the club have reached an agreement, although after a brilliant career at Anfield, every goal could be his last.
It was also a rare strike from Robertson, in a rare start this season, with the 31-year-old close to moving to Tottenham in January.
But the Scotland international showed his trust – along with Jones, who continues to do the same.
Both of the midfielder's goals this season have come in the last two rounds of the FA Cup, including a goal in the fourth-round win over Brighton.
Jones, 25, isn't very old yet, but he has played 215 matches for Liverpool and has been a reliable and valuable asset to both academy graduate Klopp and Slot, despite being a big-money purchase.
It means Rio Ngumoha has the perfect place and the perfect players to learn from, as the 17-year-old makes just his fourth start of his young career.
"At 17, if you can make an impact in some really good one-on-one situations, that's special," Slot said. "That's also what makes him special; there are very few players in the modern game who can do that."
"He did even better than three days ago because he kept the ball more. He had an impact three days ago, and today he was even better.
"It was a good moment to use all his energy for the attacking part."
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