Gary Neville has said that he’s ‘happy’ to see Chelsea appointing Xabi Alonso as their new manager, believing that Arne Slot will duly remain as Liverpool head coach.
On Sunday morning, the west London club confirmed the appointment of the 44-year-old, who had been widely touted for a return to Anfield after serving the Reds with such distinction as a player in the 2000s.
However, with FSG understood to be firmly behind Slot despite the team’s dismal season, the Spaniard will instead be in the Stamford Bridge dugout for the 2026/27 campaign.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Neville is convinced that the Dutchman will remain at Liverpool now that Chelsea have appointed Alonso, and the pundit believes that the 47-year-old deserves the chance to put things right at Anfield.
The ex-Manchester United defender said: “The signing of Xabi Alonso did tell me that Liverpool are going to keep their manager, which I’m happy about.
“A manager who won the league 12 months ago deserves another chance to get it right, having had a more challenging season this time. He’s still in the Champions League, but Salah’s comment won’t be helpful.”
Want more Empire of the Kop coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trust
Neville isn’t intending to wind up Liverpool fans with his comments on Slot, but that’s what it might seem like to those of an LFC persuasion, given how our fortunes have deteriorated under the Dutchman this season.
Kopites haven’t forgotten (and won’t forget) what the head coach achieved in winning the Premier League a year ago, but this campaign has been such a calamity that it’s taken less than 12 months for the goodwill from that massive achievement to completely disappear.
The Reds had poor seasons under Jurgen Klopp, but there was always a sense that the German could put things right, or at least was laying the foundations for better things to come. Right now, there’s nothing of the sort at Anfield.
FSG’s job isn’t to make decisions purely to satisfy the fan base, but even they must’ve realised that replacing Slot with Alonso this month would’ve provided a much-needed injection of positivity at a club where the mood music is thoroughly miserable.
If Chelsea and Liverpool meet next season with the Blues riding high under their new manager and the Reds continuing to flounder with the Dutchman in charge, the anger and frustration among Kopites would be on an even higher scale than it is already.
Welcome to our Live Comments section, where new comments will appear automatically
All Liverpool supporters were really happy when Manchester United had Erik ten hag. I was gutted when they sacked him. I am content that they are sticking with a manager that couldn’t get middlesborough promotion.
Gary Neville hates Liverpool football club with a passion, when he says he’s really happy slot hasn’t been sacked you know why?
Any sane Liverpool supporter will not retain the services of arne slot for next season.
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Notify me of follow-up comments by email.
Notify me of new posts by email.
