Steven Gerrard told to expect call if Liverpool sack Arne Slot – ‘You could be going back’

Rio Ferdinand told Steven Gerrard to be ready for a potential call from Liverpool about becoming their interim manager

Rio Ferdinand has revealed that he told Steven Gerrard to get ready to return to Liverpool as interim manager as the pressure intensified on Reds head coach Arne Slot.

The reigning Premier League champions returned to winning ways with a 2-0 victory over West Ham United on Sunday. The win propelled them to eighth place in the Premier League standings, closing the gap to the top four to three points. However, prior to their trip to London, Liverpool had suffered defeats in nine of their last 12 games.

This dismal streak included crushing losses to Manchester City, Nottingham Forest and PSV Eindhoven, with the Reds conceding a whopping 10 goals across the three matches.

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Adding to the gloom, fans were heard booing after the final whistle of Liverpool’s 4-1 defeat to the Eredivisie side, reports the Liverpool Echo.

As a result of Liverpool’s recent slump, Slot’s position has naturally come under intense scrutiny outside Anfield.

But despite easing some of this pressure with the win against West Ham, Ferdinand admitted that he could still envision Gerrard stepping in as interim manager if Liverpool decided to sever ties with Slot.

“I was in Qatar over the last few days with Steven Gerrard,” the Manchester United icon revealed on his Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, after attending the Qatar Grand Prix with his former England colleague.

“I was saying to him over some food the other day, ‘Listen, you need to sharpen your tools mate. Sharpen your tools, get them ready, because you could be going back in as interim boss’.

“There are so many games coming up that I was thinking I don’t see Slot getting through all of them in good enough condition, and I think the pressure from the terraces and the fan base might get too much and they might make a decision.

“In that climate, with someone like Steven Gerrard sitting there, a legend of the club – forget his tenures at different clubs.

“There’s a legend of the football club ready to come in and just steady the ship for them. I wouldn’t have been surprised if Steven Gerrard had gotten a call.”

Following Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement from management 2013, Manchester United have repeatedly looked to club legends including Ryan Giggs, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Michael Carrick and Ruud van Nistelrooy – alongside Ralf Rangnick – to step in as temporary managers when previous appointments have faltered.

After Solskjaer impressed enough to secure the role on a permanent basis, the Old Trafford outfit are now on their tenth different boss – including caretakers – since Ferguson called time on his illustrious career over a decade ago.

By comparison, Liverpool’s last 10 managers – including temporary bosses – stretch back to Graeme Souness’ arrival in 1991, predating the entire Premier League era.

The Merseyside club has only ever relied on a caretaker manager four times throughout its 133-year existence.

Ronnie Moran took the reins following Kenny Dalglish’s unexpected departure in February 1991, with the Scot then returning on an interim basis himself in January 2011 after Fenway Sports Group sacked Roy Hodgson.

Moran also assumed control towards the close of the 1991/92 campaign when Souness underwent heart surgery, whilst Phil Thompson served as caretaker for four months during the 2001/02 season following Gerard Houllier’s heart attack.

However, whilst Ferdinand may have suggested Gerrard could become Liverpool’s next boss, even if only on a temporary basis, fellow Anfield legend Jamie Carragher has poured cold water on the prospect of his former colleague taking charge.

“The idea of Liverpool changing the manager who won the league, Liverpool have never done that,” he said on the latest episode of The Overlap Fan Debate, brought to you by Sky Bet. “Then, who do you get? The idea of an interim manager just feels like, who and how?

“No, I wouldn’t imagine (rumours of Liverpool turning to Gerrard are true). He’s been a manager at Villa and had great success at Rangers as well.

“He’s a legendary figure and he’s back, floating down Liverpool. I don’t think most Liverpool fans will be screaming for Steven Gerrard – everyone is desperate for it to work for Arne Slot.

“They’re on such a bad run, the flipside of that is then how long does it carry on?”

Admittedly, it should come as no shock that Carragher is far more attuned to his former club and its heritage than Ferdinand.

However, given the contrasting fortunes and philosophies towards managerial appointments at Liverpool and Man United over the past 12 years, it’s telling that Carragher and Ferdinand’s respective views mirror how recent history has played out at their former clubs.

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