Arne Slot's Liverpool Agreement: Pressure Mounts Amidst Xabi Alonso Speculation

Arne Slot knows that he needs to oversee an improvement in both performances and results at Liverpool, even though the Reds are on a 12-game unbeaten run right now Liverpool was briefly booed at the final whistle at Anfield last weekend, with Arne Slot's side unable to beat Burnley. And while that was far from the nadir of the season, it wasn't a good result. The Reds looked ponderous in possession at times and while they racked up more than 30 shots, none were that clear-cut chances. Dominik Szoboszlai's missed penalty ended up being costly. What next for Slot at Liverpool, and how quickly can he convincingly prove that the future is definitely going to be with the Dutchman at the helm? Some of our writers have had their say. READ MORE : Man City offers Mohamed Salah hint as Arne Slot confirms Liverpool talksREAD MORE : Dominik Szoboszlai confirms Liverpool contract talks after Mohamed Salah chats Arne Slot has credit in the bank Matt Addison: There is no doubt that there is restlessness among the Liverpool fanbase. Watching the team lately has often felt like a chore, and the results have not been there to paper over the lack of excitement. Ultimately, it is wins that Slot needs. Securing a Champions League place this season — and potentially winning the FA Cup or going far in Europe — should be enough to quieten the doubters. However, the Xabi Alonso factor will fuel the discourse. The fact that Real Madrid fired Alonso means the argument that there are no viable alternatives to Slot has been removed. Alonso's time at the Bernabeu was not great, but he has more than enough credit in the bank from his time at Bayer Leverkusen. For me, Slot is in a similar position. The last few months have not been good, by any means, but he lifted the league title in May. We know he is a capable coach, and some of the unfortunate circumstances experienced this season have been out of his hands. It would not shock me if Liverpool signed a couple of players in the summer and Slot got the team playing much better football, winning much more consistently — even if that feels a long way off right now. It feels like Slot needs to show some signs of that happening before the end of the season, though, or the Alonso clamor is only going to grow. Improvement is more than realistic, but it needs to come sooner rather than later. Make no mistake, Slot's under pressure Michael Plant: I agree entirely with what Matt says, Slot deserves time and to be given the opportunity to turn the season around. In what has become a transitional campaign for the Reds, should they achieve a top-four finish and potentially win a cup, then this has been a good season. That could still happen, of course. Should it miss out on both, then big questions will be asked. Make no mistake about it, Slot's position is being scrutinized by the Liverpool hierarchy and he is under immense pressure. I've recently spoken to a few people with knowledge of the inner workings at Anfield, and a change of coach this summer is a real possibility if the 2025/26 term ends on a sour note. Alonso's availability has undoubtedly changed the picture and there could be a sense of urgency with several elite clubs looking for a new head coach this summer. Liverpool will not want to miss out on arguably Europe's most promising young manager. That said, I hope Slot turns things around. He is clearly an excellent coach, has already proven he can deliver silverware, is willing to work in the Liverpool framework and should be granted extra dispensation for the tragic events of last summer. I also feel short-term concerns about performances will be quickly forgotten if the campaign ends with a top-four finish and/or cup success.