Arne Slot incredibly told to axe £169m Liverpool superstars to end ‘full-blown crisis’ | OneFootball

Mark Lawrenson and Wayne Rooney have both urged Arne Slot to drop an elite star from the Liverpool starting lineup to kickstart their season and end the ‘crisis’ at Anfield.

Liverpool breezed to the Premier League title during Slot’s debut season in charge but are making a mess of defending their crown. They sit in 11th place after six wins and six defeats from 12 matches so far.

The Reds may only be three points off the top four, but they are already 11 behind leaders Arsenal. Many have ruled Liverpool out of the title picture, expecting it to go to either Arsenal or Manchester City this season.

Liverpool’s unreliable form

Slot has been told his ‘arrogance is killing’ Liverpool, with sack rumours escalating. However, one Liverpool reporter expects the Dutchman to be safe until Christmas at the very least.

BBC Sport, meanwhile, claim Liverpool are in ‘full-blown crisis’ and that Slot has his work cut out to save their season.

Liverpool will aim to get back to winning ways when they host PSV at Anfield in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

‘We concede for fun’ – Lawrenson

During an appearance on talkSPORT, legendary former Liverpool defender Lawrenson said: “It’s one of those with the manager, he’s under pressure but his job’s safe.

“There’s no doubt about that whatsoever.

“You’ve just got to get the players together and go, ‘We start at 0-0 and make sure the nil is against us’.

“Until you start making yourself difficult to beat, the way we are at the moment, we just concede for fun.”

Lawrenson then told Slot to drop Alexander Isak for Hugo Ekitike, following another anonymous display from the £125million summer signing against Forest.

“He [Isak] is not fit,” Lawrenson claimed. “Ekitike should be back in the team. How does he feel? He’s been the best of the two strikers.

“But the problem is, how do you get players fit if they can’t play in reserve games or anything?

“All you do is train and if you’re only training, it’s not the same, you’re about 25 per cent less than players in front of you.”

Manchester United icon Rooney, meanwhile, suggested Mo Salah should be dropped to shake up the squad. The Egyptian is a modern-day legend at Anfield but has seen his goal output drop to five in 17 appearances this term.

“If I was Slot, I’d try and make a big decision just so it has an impact on the rest of the team,” Rooney said on his latest podcast for BBC Radio 5 Live.

“Salah is not helping them defensively.

“If you’re one of the players who they’ve signed and you’re on the bench and you’ve seen him not running – and again he’s a club legend and everything he’s done for the club – but if you’re on the bench, then what message does that send to you?”

Rooney added that the tragic loss of Diogo Jota will likely be having a big impact on the team mentally. However, he said there is ‘no excuse for not fighting and not tackling.’

The superstar Slot should drop

Slot should keep Salah in the team as the right winger – signed in a £44m deal from Roma – has proven time and time again that he can score crucial goals in a Liverpool shirt.

Salah has had slumps in form before but always trusts himself to get back to his best, and Slot will fully believe in that process.

If Salah starts against PSV, then it could be the perfect occasion for him to net a couple of goals and get his confidence back up.

However, Lawrenson’s suggestion that Ekitike should replace Isak is justified. While Isak has looked a shadow of himself from his Newcastle days, Ekitike has been the best of Liverpool’s summer signings.

The Frenchman is brilliant on the ball and can effectively link up play with those around him, while he is also a deadly finisher. Until Isak proves he should be Slot’s main No 9, Ekitike deserves a starting role.