Steven Gerrard insists Liverpool manager Arne Slot can expect a “difficult week” after leading the Reds to an “unacceptable” draw with Burnley to raise further doubts over his future at Anfield.
After being held by both Sunderland and Leeds, the 1-1 draw with Burnley means Arne Slot’s side have failed to win all three home games against newly-promoted teams in a single season for the first time in the Premier League era. A 12-game unbeaten run may never have been met with such apathy.
Florian Wirtz’s fine opener was cancelled out by Marcus Edwards in the second half as Liverpool counted the cost of Dominik Szoboszlai’s missed penalty in the first half to draw their fourth game on the bounce in the Premier League.
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And Gerrard expects Slot to face plenty of criticism this week after another insipid display at Anfield.
“Even though they’re on a better run in terms of unbeaten games, the draws to the likes of Leeds and Burnley at home, you know and I know that’s not acceptable,” Gerrard said.
“So there will be a lot of criticism that comes the manager’s way again.
“But give the manager credit, the last time we spoke about this, you asked me was the team in a crisis and I said I didn’t think it was.
“I felt that this manager was capable of making things better, steadying the ship and he has moved the team from the middle of the table up back into the Champions League positions.
“And I think that will be a priority for him and the team, minimum top four this season.
“But that won’t take anything away from the criticism that will come his way.”
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Asked about the conservative style of play Slot has adopted to revert the Liverpool slump, Gerrard insisted there should still be “enough quality” in the side to break opposition teams down.
“The manager’s openly said himself that they’re struggling against teams that put a lot of men behind the ball,” he continued.
“Whatever you want to call it, a low block, the manager’s said that they’re struggling with the creativity.
“They’ve got some injuries in the forward positions, I’ll give them that, but you can’t use it as an excuse.
“The team that he’s built and the team that he’s inherited, there should have enough quality and enough talent to open these teams up and score.
“One-nil at home, you’re always going to be at risk of conceding a sloppy goal and then it leads to two points dropped.
“Arne will be in for a difficult week before the Champions League.”
