Gary Lineker has conceded that Xabi Alonso replacing Arne Slot at Liverpool for next season would come as little shock. The reigning Premier League champions have endured a testing 2025/26 campaign, with defeat to Manchester United thrusting Slot back into the spotlight. Three successive Premier League victories prior to the 3-2 reverse at Old Trafford had eased the scrutiny on his position, but doubts have resurfaced, prompting Lineker to pose the crucial question and offer his managerial forecast.
"Would Slot be there next season? Eleven defeats in the Premier League, still in the Champions League positions," he said to Alan Shearer and Micah Richards on the latest episode of The Rest is Football podcast. "I wouldn't be surprised if Xabi Alonso was there next season."
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Shearer responded: "I think in terms of what he did last season and winning the league, manager of the season. With the issues and the problems they've had at Liverpool this year, then yeah, I do. If it were my choice, I would have him as manager, yeah."
Slot has already decided he will not quit the Merseyside club this summer, meaning any exit will be entirely on the Reds themselves. The Dutchman has no plans to depart despite interest from Ajax.
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Alonso has nonetheless been touted for the Liverpool role since Jurgen Klopp announced his intended departure in January 2024. At that juncture, he was enjoying a highly fruitful spell with Bayer Leverkusen.
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Last summer, Alonso succeeded Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid, though the Spaniard was dismissed earlier this year. While much of the attention has centred on who will take charge in the dugout next season, Richards turned his fire on the players themselves, directing his criticism squarely at four new signings, with Shearer visibly nodding in agreement.
The former Manchester City man said: "I think where the scrutiny comes is the signings. They've not worked. [Alexander] Isak has been injured, Wirtz has not been at the level we all expect, Frimpong is your right winger, your right-back, it's not really working out.
"[Milos] Kerkez has been a shadow of the player who was at Bournemouth. I don't know if that's pressure or if that's the system.
"Liverpool are too slow, too passive, they're too easy to play against. What you normally associate Liverpool with is being aggressive, hard to beat, work-rate, especially under Klopp and they're none of those things. I'd like the manager to get a chance to turn those things around."
One of the standout figures who embodied Klopp's side was Mohamed Salah, who is set to leave Anfield when the season draws to a close. An injury ruled him out of the defeat to United, though he is anticipated to feature in at least one of Liverpool's remaining three fixtures.
Alexander Isak and Alisson were also sidelined on Sunday, with Slot providing an update following the final whistle. He said: "Alisson hasn't trained with us yet, so that makes it quite simple. We're hoping for him to be ready next week, but we have to wait and see how the week will go. The same can be said about Alex - we're hoping to have him back next week."