Collymore: Champions League Football Key for Slot, Dressing Room Balance at Liverpool
Liverpool manager Arne Slot’s future at Anfield hinges on securing Champions League qualification, according to former Reds striker Stan Collymore. Speaking to the ECHO on behalf of BetWright, Collymore stated that failing to achieve a top-four finish would put Slot’s position under serious threat.
The assessment comes amid a period of inconsistent form for Liverpool following their dominant Premier League title win the previous season. While the team remains in the last 16 of the Champions League, they currently sit in sixth place in the Premier League table, facing a challenging battle for a return to Europe’s elite competition.
Collymore acknowledged the disruption caused by injuries and fluctuating intensity levels within the squad, but emphasized the importance of consistency. “Getting into the top four is non-negotiable,” he said. “I know Arne Slot has said players have been replaced rather than additions to the squad, but I know all too well when you break the British transfer record you are expected to be there or thereabouts and they haven’t been in terms of the league form.”
Liverpool made several significant signings last summer, including Florian Wirtz for £116 million and Alexander Isak for a British record £125 million. Hugo Ekitike also arrived from Eintracht Frankfurt in a deal potentially worth £79 million. While Ekitike has impressed with 12 goals in 30 appearances, making him one of the top Premier League scorers, Collymore believes the initial hype surrounding Wirtz and Isak may have created an imbalance within the dressing room.
Collymore, himself a British record signing for Liverpool in 1995, suggested that the immediate praise heaped upon Wirtz and Isak before they had even played a competitive match for the club may have been unsettling for established stars like Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk. “When I saw the social media stuff around the Isak signing and Wirtz, dozens of tweets were talking about them being the second coming,” Collymore explained. “I said to myself ‘I wonder what Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk feel about this?’ Salah is top man and Virgil is not far off, and then you hear rumours they might have felt a bit disrespected.”
He added that Salah reportedly expressed a sentiment that existing players were capable and shouldn’t be overlooked, suggesting a potential friction caused by the perceived elevation of the new arrivals. “It came across to me that at Liverpool you have to earn that kind of praise and accolade,” Collymore said. “But when Isak and Wirtz came in, they got that online before they’d even played. Football doesn’t work like that. You have to be really careful inside the dressing room ecosystem not to upset the balance.”
Collymore believes that the dynamic between the new signings and the established hierarchy will be crucial to Liverpool’s success. He noted that Wirtz and Isak appear to be relatively unassuming characters, which could make it more difficult for them to assert themselves within the team. “Probably Mo and one or two others felt a little bit threatened and they probably didn’t like it that much,” he said. “That makes it very difficult for players to settle in.”
The situation is further complicated by reports suggesting potential departures of key players like Salah and Van Dijk. Collymore acknowledged that if either of those players were to leave, it could significantly impact the team’s dynamic and potentially create an opportunity for Wirtz, Ekitike, and Isak to establish themselves as leading figures. However, he stressed that the new signings still need to earn their place and prove their worth on the pitch.
Despite the current challenges, Collymore remains optimistic about Liverpool’s prospects. He pointed out that the team is still in contention for both the Champions League and the FA Cup, and that Slot will have an opportunity to rebuild and refine the squad during the offseason. “The most important thing is getting some consistency back in the league form,” he said. “Slot can do that in what remains of this season. Everyone then pauses and goes off to the World Cup and he has a blueprint for next season.”
However, Collymore reiterated that Champions League qualification is paramount. “If they don’t get Champions League football, Slot will possibly be under threat. But when you’ve won the league in your first season and you didn’t change the recipe much and didn’t have much opportunity to bring in personnel, the Liverpool board will look at that in the round.”
Liverpool’s recent struggles began around , according to reports, with some suggesting the issues stemmed from the departure of Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid in . Paul Merson has pinpointed Alexander-Arnold’s exit as a key factor in the team’s decline, arguing that it disrupted the attacking partnership with Salah and left the team vulnerable defensively.
Phil Thompson, a Liverpool legend, has publicly backed Slot, expressing disappointment with some of the fanbase’s calls for a managerial change. As of , Thompson believes Slot deserves more time to implement his vision and address the team’s issues.
