Liverpool transfer news: Arne Slot replacement 'very keen' to take charge if manager sacked following key Premier League games

Steven Gerrard would find it difficult to turn down the opportunity to manage Liverpool should Arne Slot be sacked, the latest report has claimed.

The Reds will take on Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday, and the match is set to be crucial for both the futures of Mohamed Salah and Slot.

Salah's public fallout with Slot has overshadowed the pressure that the latter is under having overseeing nine defeats in his last 15 in charge.

The club are currently 10th in the Premier League, and a loss against Brighton and Tottenham Hotspur on December 20 could leave the team stranded nine points from the top four.

Football Insider report that should Slot fail to save his job in the next weeks, former legend Gerrard would be keen to take charge on an interim basis.

Steven Gerrard assessed: Should Liverpool appoint former Anfield legend?

Gerrard has not managed a side in the UK since he was dismissed from the Aston Villa dugout in October 2022, with the Englishman having coached Al-Ettifaq between July 2023 and January 2025.

The 45-year-old did win the Scottish top flight with Rangers in 2020-21, the club's only title in the last 14 seasons.

He also guided the team to an unbeaten season that term, but while his achievements in Scotland should not be overlooked, his record in England is not favourable.

Gerrard was appointed Villa boss in November 2021, but he guided the team to a 14th-placed finish in 2021-22, before he was sacked with the side having won just two of their opening 12 league games of 2022-23.

Viewing the scouser as anything other than a temporary appointment would likely be risky, and Liverpool's hierarchy must not succumb to the romantic prospect of instilling Gerrard at Anfield permanently.

Xabi Alonso as Arne Slot's replacement: Who should Liverpool appoint?

If Slot cannot turn the club's fortunes around, then the Reds will almost certainly have to look elsewhere, and perhaps they could look to former player Xabi Alonso.

The Spaniard's position in the Real Madrid dugout is reportedly under serious threat, and he may soon be available, though it remains to be seen if he would be willing to accept another job so quickly after being dismissed.

Cesc Fabregas of Como has also been credited as a target for Liverpool, but the former Arsenal and Chelsea man has little experience of management, with the Spaniard having only officially taken charge of the Italian side in July 2024.

Liverpool must ensure that their next managerial appointment is the right one as failure to choose the correct head coach could result in the talents of players like Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak being wasted.