Liverpool find themselves in an awkward position after losing six of their last seven games in all competitions, a run that has raised early questions about Arne Slot’s tenure.
Yet former Red Joe Cole believes the Dutchman will be given time to halt the slide and expects him to do just that.
The Reds’ campaign started promisingly, with seven straight wins in August and September indicating a smooth transition under Slot.
But in retrospect, these results hid deeper issues. Liverpool often needed late goals to secure points and were far from convincing in those early weeks.
The cracks widened in late September with a damaging defeat to Crystal Palace, which has since proved the catalyst for a serious dip in form. Again, losses followed against Galatasaray, Chelsea, Manchester United, Brentford and Palace, with only one win against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League in a seven-match spell.
Despite the worrying trend, Cole believes Liverpool will maintain confidence in their manager.
“Liverpool have a tradition of retaining their managers, they always have,” Cole told Paddy Power. “You know, they’re a football club first and foremost, not a company, and that’s what I love about Liverpool.
They’re doing well, so I think Arne Slot will at least have until Christmas. And I think he’ll turn it around. He will consolidate and players will come back from injuries.”
Liverpool’s defensive fragility has been one of the defining themes of their poor run. The team hasn’t kept a clean sheet since September 14 and has conceded in every game since, keeping just two clean sheets in 15 games this season.
Slot’s backline has undergone significant changes from last season. Trent Alexander-Arnold left in the summer, while Andy Robertson has lost his place to new signing Milos Kerkez. Cole believes a return to the tried and true can contribute to stability.
“If I’m Arne Slot, I would use Andy Robertson at left back,” said Cole. “Conor Bradley at right-back, Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté, and I would say: ‘listen, I’m not changing you’.
I would say to Jeremy Frimpong and Milos Kerkez: ‘Calm down, you’re coming to Liverpool Football Club, things aren’t going well.’
And I would try to get the basics of the team in order and go from there.
Cole’s words reflect what many at Anfield are beginning to feel that a reset, both tactical and mental, is needed to restore order after a turbulent month. With injuries declining and several seniors set to return, Slot’s challenge now is to translate belief into results.
Liverpool face a decisive series of games before Christmas. Whether Slot can steady the ship will determine not only the direction of the season, but also how firmly the club’s modern ethos of patience holds up in difficult times.
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