Danny Murphy: Slot’s Liverpool future, Alonso vs Gerrard debate and big calls on Salah, Robertson and Konate

Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy gives his verdict on Arne Slot’s future, whether Xabi Alonso or Steven Gerrard could take over, and the contract dilemmas facing Mo Salah, Andy Robertson and Ibou Konate.

Liverpool have rarely lacked talking points this season, and few voices understand the pressures of Anfield quite like Danny Murphy.

Murphy, speaking in association with Spreadex Sports, discussed on the biggest issues currently surrounding the club.

From Arne Slot’s long-term future and whether the club could turn to Xabi Alonso or Steven Gerrard, to difficult decisions over Mo Salah’s decline and the contract situations of Andy Robertson and Ibou Konate, Murphy offered a detailed and honest assessment.

He also outlined the type of midfielder Liverpool should target this summer, naming one Real Madrid star who reminds him of Steven Gerrard.

Q&A with Danny Murphy

On Arne Slot’s future at Liverpool

Q: Arne Slot at the moment – obviously things aren’t going perfectly. In a worst-case scenario where Liverpool don’t get the top four or five and don’t win the FA Cup or Champions League, would you stick with him next season or should the club look elsewhere?

Danny Murphy: I think that would depend on how they fail with those quests.

If they were to have a great run in the Champions League and lose the final with a really good end to the season, then you might start saying there’s been real progression towards the end of the season, there have been some great moments, and maybe you should give him a bit more time.

I’m never one to judge just on whether you pick the trophy up — it’s how you fail as well and how the end of the season goes.

If it continues the way it is, with the level of performance and the disgruntlement of the fans — irrelevant of whether it’s all his fault or some recruitment or some players have let him down — the reality is that Liverpool need to be challenging.

I don’t think they would take the risk of leaving him in charge and then having a similar start next season and having that problem again.

So if they were to fail and go out of the Champions League and FA Cup with a bit of a whimper, I would be surprised not to see a change.

I think a lot of Liverpool supporters would agree with that from what I’m hearing — with reluctance, because he’s a likeable guy and he did a great job last year.

I don’t think the huge turnaround of players is something he necessarily wanted.

Obviously the inevitable leaving of Trent, which was Trent’s decision. Then you had the Jota tragedy, Diaz not signing a new deal so they have to take the money for him.

Some things have transpired against him. Isak coming in not being fit, then getting an injury. A couple of the new signings being way off it for quite a long period.

Obviously Salah’s form — I don’t think anyone predicted him going from where he was last season to this, because that’s a really extreme difference of form.

So they’re not all Slot’s fault, but you have to be really honest about the situation.

Is he going to be able to turn this around and get Liverpool back to challenging for the title and the Champions League?

At the moment it looks unlikely.

So if he does fail, he’s going to have to fail gallantly to keep his job.

On Xabi Alonso or Steven Gerrard potentially managing Liverpool

Q: If Slot did leave in the summer, two names often mentioned are Xabi Alonso and Steven Gerrard. Do you think they would be good fits for Liverpool?

Murphy: I think Alonso, with what he’s done already, would be the more obvious choice than Stevie.

Stevie’s only really had his success at Rangers and the Villa job kind of tarnished his reputation a little bit, which as a young manager might be a little bit unfair.

But Alonso has already managed one of the biggest clubs in the world, which should put him in good stead for walking through the door at Liverpool.

He’s got the affinity with the fans as well.

I think Stevie would be a risk at this stage. He hasn’t managed for a while and maybe he needs another job first and to kick on a little bit before.

Alonso does seem the obvious choice.

The only slight reluctance with Alonso is that he is a possession-based manager.

Liverpool fans have been spoilt under Klopp — not just with the success but with the unbelievable dynamism the team played with.

The all-or-nothing attitude, the energy and belief.

I think there’s a desire from the fan base to get back to a bit more of that — to play more risky football and show dominance.

I don’t know if Alonso will do that. When you look at his Leverkusen side and even what he tried to do in Madrid, he is more possession-based.

But there aren’t too many outstanding candidates.

Not many Liverpool fans knew too much about Slot when he came in and he won the league in his first season.

Of course, as a former teammate and friend of Stevie’s, I’d love him to get the job and be given the chance because he’s a legend of the club and the fans would get right behind him.

But that’s probably the heart rather than the head.

Alonso is probably the more sensible choice.

On Andy Robertson and Ibou Konate’s contracts

Q: Last season a lot of the talk was about Van Dijk and Salah staying. Two more contracts expire this summer — Ibou Konate and Andy Robertson. Should Liverpool prioritise keeping them?

Murphy: I’ve been absolutely gobsmacked that Robbo hasn’t played more.

He doesn’t look like he’s gone backwards or athletically incapable of playing.

He’s calmer on the ball than Kerkez, I think he’s better going forward and he has more leadership qualities.

Maybe not to play every game, but he’s been used sparingly and I’ve been really surprised at that.

If I was a new manager coming in, I’d be desperately trying to keep him because he’s great around the dressing room and physically he still looks good enough to do a job.

When Robertson is on the pitch everything’s a little bit calmer.

With Konate, I’m surprised they haven’t got that sorted yet.

He had a difficult start to the season but I thought he was outstanding last season and he still has so much potential.

He’s physically brilliant.

Yes, he switches off occasionally, but to get someone better than him would cost a hell of a lot of money.

Liverpool also don’t just need to replace him if he goes — they need another centre-half as well.

They’ve brought the young lad in from France [Jérémy Jacquet] who will probably be one of them, but he hasn’t played at this level before.

If they think he’ll walk in and play the level Konate has for 50 or 55 games, that might be naive.

So they’re going to need to replace him anyway.

I think he’s going to go because if he wanted to stay and the club were happy to give him the contract he deserves, it would be done by now.

That would be a blow for Liverpool.

I know not every fan is as positive about him as me, but most of the time I watch him play he’s really good. I like him a lot.

So yes, it would be a priority to get Konate done.

On Mo Salah’s future

Q: What do you do about Salah now? Do you let him leave on a free, sell him or keep him?

Murphy: At the moment, watching him, you’d say if there’s a way of getting him off the wage bill and moving on, then that might be the way forward.

He’s not going to be happy being a squad player.

It happens to all amazing players.

I’ve seen it loads of times.

He’s been phenomenal and nothing he does now will damage his legacy.

He’s done so much for Liverpool Football Club.

But I don’t know after watching him since the beginning of the season if he can get back to where he was last season.

It doesn’t look like it and we’ve been waiting a while.

I hope he proves me wrong and finishes the season amazingly well and this conversation becomes redundant.

But I think they should be looking at what’s next.

On Liverpool’s ideal summer signing

Q: Finally, is there one area Liverpool should strengthen or one player you’d sign?

Murphy: Call me old fashioned, but I’d be going for someone in the middle of the pitch who is a leader.

Someone everyone can look up to.

A bit like Szoboszlai has done this season.

I always look at Federico Valverde at Madrid.

If they could get him, he’s everything.

He’s as near to Gerrard as I’ve seen — he’s got wonderful athleticism and he can do everything.

He’s not as good as Gerrard, but he’s a phenomenal player.

I watched him in the last couple of Madrid games in the Champions League and he was outstanding.

They might not be able to get him out, but someone like that who can walk through the door and grasp it.

There’s no risk with a signing like that, even if it costs £100 million.

That’s the kind of player I’d be going for.