Why Arsenal Legend Compares Liverpool’s Slot To Guardiola

By Phumzile Ngcatshe

Fresh from a convincing 3-0 victory over Olympique Marseille, Liverpool manager Arne Slot is receiving massive praise from Arsenal legend Thierry Henry.

Speaking after the UEFA Champions League encounter on Wednesday, the retired France international believes Slot can turn things around at Anfield as he compares him to Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola.

Speaking via CBS Sports during the UEFA Champions League clash, Henry said he is convinced Slot can lead the Reds back to the glory days that they enjoyed under ex-manager Jurgen Klopp.

He stated that the English Premier League champions are headed for success, considering the return of the veteran hitman, Mohamed Salah, from a disappointing AFCON tournament in Morocco.

The 3-0 win also comes as a major boost for Liverpool’s morale, who will visit Bournemouth in the league on Saturday, with Henry explaining that Slot brings identity and style at Liverpool – just like Klopp and Guardiola.

Slot’s Future In Doubt?

Henry’s sentiments come just after Spanish La Liga bigshots opted to fire manager and club legend Xabi Alonso following a string of poor results.

While the 1998 FIFA World Cup winner with Les Bleus argues that big managers must produce results to secure their jobs, he thinks the Dutchman is safe for now.

“That’s not usually how Liverpool operate,” Henry said on CBS Sports per Liverpool.com.

“What’s annoying when you’re a manager is that when you’re at a big club, there are always rumors that someone’s going to come up.

“If you’re Pep Guardiola or Jürgen Klopp at one point, because what you’re bringing is the style of football, even though you’re not on a good run, it pleases people.

“If you go back, I think it was COVID time when Liverpool were not winning after Klopp won the league, right? What was it? Six defeats in a row?

“No one complained and said Jurgen Klopp should leave, because they were happy with the style of play.”

Can Slot Restore Pride At Anfield?

Taking a glance at the EPL log standings, the Reds sit fourth on the table with 36 points from 22 games and are fresh from a 1-all draw versus Burnley at home last weekend.

“What’s happening with Liverpool for me, I was expecting that last year. It’s kind of weird. And if it did happen last year, the fans would have been calmer,” he added.

“Don’t you think they would have said, ‘Oh, give him time to bring his team and his players?”

“I think also, not only him, as you said, you have also have the sporting director. But I do think that when the guy wins the league, I’m not saying that he should get a pass but that will buy you times.

“I don’t think that he’s under pressure with that one. But yeah, Xabi Alonso is available, and he’s a Liverpool legend. So, obviously people are going to talk.

“I do think the guy is brutally honest, which I love at times. He never goes above or below what’s happening. He usually tells you the situations.

“And you would like to think that Mo Salah is back, that everything is going to go back to normal. And some of the draws that they have had since Mo Salah left, maybe if Mo Salah was there, he would have turned that into a win.”

Image Source: Sky Sports, Evening Standard, Liverpool FC, Tribal Football