Arne Slot brutally told why he could be the ‘next Tottenham manager’ - with former Premier League star setting Liverpool challenge

The comparison serves as a reminder that at a club of Liverpool's stature, simply playing attractive football and maintaining a high league position is rarely enough to satisfy a fanbase accustomed to dominance under Jurgen Klopp. The transition from the Klopp era was always going to be the biggest narrative on Merseyside. But while many expected a drop-off, the Reds captured the Premier League title last season. However, as Merson points out, the real test of a Liverpool manager isn't just winning games, but lifting a trophy come May.

Merson then expressed a bold prediction as to where the Dutchman may end up if he leaves Anfield, telling Sky Sports: “He will have to get in the top four, I would have thought, otherwise he’d be [the next] Tottenham manager.”

“If he won the FA Cup but didn’t finish in Champions League positions it wouldn’t make any difference at all. I think Liverpool have got to get in the Champions League with the [financial] fair play rule. The more you get into the Champions League, the better quality player you can bring in.”

To avoid the 'Spurs' comparison, Slot has to show that he can navigate the high-stakes pressure. Merson believes that the standard has been set so high that anything less than being a consistent winner will eventually see the fans and the media grow restless with the Dutchman's project.

"I think they need to get a centre-half and they'll be right back up there again next year," he said. "They've just been off it this year, it's been weird really, and it is hard when you've won the league like they have. They've been in a fight the last two or three years as well, new players come in. Again, they're playing for Liverpool, one of the biggest clubs in the world. It's taken them time to handle it, and they're top-quality players, but the club's just a huge football club."

Liverpool's fixture list remains demanding, and the expectations from the hierarchy are clear: they are not in a rebuilding phase, they are in a winning phase. Liverpool remain active in various competitions, including chasing a top-four finish and advancing in the Champions League. They host Tottenham on Sunday and will then attempt to turn things around by overturning a one-goal deficit against Galatasaray in the Champions League last 16.