Liverpool latest: Arne Slot sack position made clear as ideal replacement emerges
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Last season's finalists were beaten by Crystal Palace for a third time this term, with the Eagles storming to a 3-0 victory at Anfield against a second-string Liverpool side.Oliver Glasner's team triumphed over Liverpool in the Community Shield via penalties ahead of the new season. Liverpool are set to face Aston Villa at Anfield on Saturday night, with the Reds urgently needing to halt their downward spiral following a shocking sequence of six defeats in seven, including four consecutive losses in the Premier League.READ MORE: Jeremie Frimpong injury latest as Arne Slot makes 'stupid' Liverpool admissionREAD MORE: Marc Guehi spotted in full-time talks as Liverpool mocked after latest defeatWith the club's position on Slot's future clear, the Dutchman's message to supporters has also emerged.
Aside from managerial worries, Liverpool have also been notified of the ideal replacement to succeed captain Virgil van Dijk.Slot sack stanceSlot's position is reportedly secure at Anfield and he continues to receive strong backing from the club's hierarchy. The unusual departure by some seemed to suggest that Slot has lost support from sections of the crowd.However, the former Feyenoord boss was backed by large parts of the ground who made a point of singing their under-fire manager's name.Following the match, Slot expressed that the warm welcome he and his team received on Wednesday gave him hope that Liverpool would be roared on come Saturday evening against Villa, despite their recent struggles."If you're on a run of results like this, if you play for Liverpool, if you manage Liverpool, you know the pressure is there and I don't think it has changed much after this loss," Slot said."But if it did then maybe the most positive thing about tonight was that the position we were in, 2-0 down and we weren't really pushing for a goal because we weren't able to, the fans were behind the team, were supporting us."He added: "That gives me the feeling that Saturday when our players will show how much it means to them, our fans will be incredibly supportive for us Saturday."Didi Hamann identifies Van Dijk's successorDespite a remarkable transfer expenditure this summer, Liverpool still appear thin in the centre-back area.
Even before Giovanni Leoni's ACL injury, Liverpool's unsuccessful attempt to secure Palace star Marc Guehi in the summer indicated the Reds' interest in strengthening their defence.However, former Reds midfielder Hamann believes that Borussia Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck, 25, could be the club's ideal solution. I think he'd be a great signing for Liverpool, and a lot of other teams as well."With Van Dijk now 34 and Ibrahima Konate out of contract at the end of the season as things stand, Liverpool's hunt for a new centre-back could intensify in January or next summer.