Liverpool hero gives four-word response when asked about a Steven Gerrard return

Steven Gerrard back to Liverpool? Don’t rule it out.

The Reds legend is currently sixth in the betting odds to replace Arne Slot amid the worst run of his coaching career.

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Slot has overseen nine defeats in 12 in all competitions and despite winning the Premier League last season his future is beginning to look in serious doubt.

He’s similarly second in the odds as the next manager to be sacked in England’s top flight behind only Leeds’ Daniel Farke.

The games come thick and fast for Liverpool this time of year, and with Slot regularly commenting that he doesn’t understand what’s gone wrong, there’s reason to doubt a sudden improvement.

In such a scenario the Reds hierarchy may have to switch to a caretaker, a role the currently unemployed Gerrard may suit better than a full time one.

His long-time former teammate at Anfield, Danny Murphy, was asked if Gerrard would accept such a position and had no doubts.

“Of course he would,” the talkSPORT host said. 

“I think it would work from a fans’ perspective, but I think they probably need someone elite level who’s been there and done it [long term], but I think it would be fine initially.”

Gerrard’s coaching journey

Gerrard is widely considered Liverpool’s greatest-ever homegrown player, and returned to the club’s academy after his retirement as a player in 2016.

His first senior job was with Rangers, achieving the mightily impressive feat of an unbeaten season to win the Scottish Premiership in 2021, but since then it’s been downhill with Aston Villa and Al Ettifaq, who he left in January, later rejecting a Rangers return.

How can Slot save his job?

Slot will be far more concerned with finding solutions to his own problems, and Murphy has used his vast experience to explain how a manager ends a crisis.

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Discussing the blame game between the coach and squad, he began: “You’ve got to analyse the manager of course, but you’ve got to take a look at the players as well, too many of them have fallen off a cliff.

“The manager dictates the application, the attitude, the harmony at the training ground, the way you play, but he’s the one that changes things when it’s not going well. He’s got to find a solution and the players need guidance. 

“Top players tend to look after themselves and make a manager’s life easier, but a lot of these Liverpool players need the manager now to find a solution.

“Whether that’s a change of system, or getting some of the big hitters out who aren’t doing the work. It’s on him.”

Murphy finished: “You have to make big decisions and upset people. 

“I think Stevie’s words were good when he said they’ve got to stop the bleeding, and that means stop conceding goals. 

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“Forget about winning matches and scoring goals for a bit because that will happen naturally.”

Slot’s side will aim to get back to winning ways away to West Ham United on Sunday, with kick-off scheduled for 2:05pm.