Arne Slot’s future at Liverpool may depend on him securing Champions League football this season, says former Reds skipper Jamie Carragher.
Slot won the Premier League title last season in his first campaign in charge.
But this season has been a struggle despite a massive summer of transfer spending which saw Alesander Isak and Florian Wirtz arrive at Anfield.
This weekend’s defeat at Bournemouth, coupled with wins for Manchester United and Chelsea, dropped Slot’s side to sixth, two points below fourth place in the Premier League table.
And Carragher thinks a top-four finish is vital.
“I think some of the criticism and the disrespect he’s had from supporters is far too much, considering they won the league title last season, but if he doesn’t qualify for the Champions League, he doesn’t have a leg to stand on,” Carragher told Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football.
“Liverpool as a club and support can accept they are not going to win the league or challenge this year. We accept it: not good enough, but we accept it.
“Once you start seeing what Manchester United have done in the last couple of weeks, once you start seeing Chelsea, and you see where Liverpool could finish outside the Champions League positions I really fear for them.
“Once you start fearing Champions League qualification for next season that’s when you have a completely different proposition when you are talking about the manager’s job.
“Not making the Champions League as (defending Premier League) champions, spending £450million and having the highest wage bill in the Premier League – which is the biggest determining factor normally about where you finish in the league – I think you have serious questions to ask.”
