‘Stop talking about Klopp and get behind Slot’: Rooney issues message to Liverpool fans | OneFootball

Liverpool’s current run of form has prompted plenty of outside noise and the latest comments have focused less on the football itself and more on the atmosphere surrounding us.

Rooney’s view on Liverpool supporters and the Klopp comparisons

(Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images)

As reported by BBC Sport, former Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney claimed our supporters need to “move away” from constant comparisons to Jurgen Klopp and give Arne Slot full backing during this difficult spell.

The ex-England captain argued that the “shadow” of our former manager is hanging over the 47-year-old, saying: “The big thing is when he has a run of results like this, Klopp’s name keeps getting brought up.”

Rooney even likened the situation to Manchester United’s struggles after Alex Ferguson’s departure.

“It’s a bit like the presence with Ferguson,” he said. “When Moyes came in and Van Gaal, Fergie’s name would always get brought up.”

His suggestion was that we must help lift the mood, despite Slot taking just one win from the past seven league matches.

“In the end, the Liverpool fans just need to move away from that and get behind him,” he added. The timing of these comments is unusual.

There was no turning on the team after the 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest, no booing, and no sense inside Anfield that the Dutchman was facing hostility.

Our manager’s name was sung loudly against Aston Villa and Real Madrid earlier this season, even if the Forest performance led to a quieter and flatter atmosphere. That nuance matters.

Martin Keown highlighted how “you don’t win the league one year and get sacked the next” – Slot has proven he is a good manager and he deserves the time to turn things around.

Why this moment needs perspective after a brutal run

(Photo by Molly Darlington/Getty Images)

The context of this slump cannot be ignored.

We lost several senior players in the summer, suffered the tragic loss of Diogo Jota, and integrated a wave of new signings including Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Alexander Isak.

The message before the season was unity, patience and backing while the squad reshaped itself.

Rooney’s criticism also arrives as our ownership quietly signalled something different.

Chairman Tom Werner appeared in the stands for the Forest defeat, an occurrence so rare that it was certainly noteworthy.

His presence felt more like FSG reaffirming support than circling the situation. The football, of course, must improve though.

Bare facts from the Forest match painted the picture of a side conceding too many set-piece goals and struggling to impose our usual intensity, with Forest becoming only the fourth visiting Premier League team to win at Anfield by three or more goals.

But dismissing our fanbase’s behaviour entirely does not match the reality inside the stadium.

We may be enduring a difficult run, yet the support remains respectful, patient and rooted in the belief that we move forward together.

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