A 3-2 defeat to Manchester United yesterday condemned Liverpool to their 11th Premier League loss of 2025-26. Liverpool manager Arne Slot watched on helplessly as the Reds missed out on an opportunity to boost their chances of qualifying for next season’s Champions League. The Anfield club need four more points to guarantee a place in the elite European competition next term, and they could get over the line despite facing Chelsea, Aston Villa and Brentford in their remaining fixtures.
Slot is expected to keep his job heading into next season, especially if Liverpool finish in the top-five, but Gary Lineker has admitted that he would not be surprised if the Merseyside club brought in Xabi Alonso as his replacement.
“Would Slot be there next season?” Lineker asked Alan Shearer and Micah Richards on the latest episode of The Rest is Football podcast.
“11 defeats in the Premier League, still in the Champions League positions. I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw Xabi Alonso there next season,I wouldn’t be surprised.”
Alonso has been out of work since leaving Real Madrid in January, and a move to Liverpool could appeal to the former Bayer Leverkusen manager.
