Liverpool secured their place in the quarter-final of the Champions League with a 4-0 win over Galatasaray last week, with Paris Saint-Germain waiting in the next round in a tie that the Reds are second favourites to clinch.
In the Premier League, their form has been far from ideal and a 2-1 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion last weekend has cast doubts on their European Cup hopes for next season in spite of a record investment on new signings in the summer.
Arne Slot’s position as the head coach is under serious scrutiny, and will continue to be under the scanner for what remains of the season. If the Reds cannot win a top five berth or secure the Champions League, the Dutchman is likely to be sacked.
Caught Offside has reported that Liverpool are already in ‘advanced talks’ with Xabi Alonso, who has been chosen as the successor for Slot, with the Spaniard himself being relieved of his duties as Real Madrid boss earlier this year.
Alonso appointment worth giving a second thought
It is undeniable that Xabi Alonso performed superbly at Bayer Leverkusen, but his tenure at Real Madrid was far from ideal. Unsatisfactory results, a dressing room he lost and tactical inconsistencies were just few reasons why he lost his job.
That said, Madrid have shown a major upturn in form after Alvaro Arbeloa replaced Alonso, with the former Liverpool midfielder’s appointment in the Spanish capital raising genuine questions about what utility he brought to the table.
Xabi Alonso could have succeeded in managing younger players and not those with superstar statuses in his stint in the Bundesliga, but how much he can do at one of the world’s top clubs is questionable given his poor tenure at Real Madrid.
