Speaking on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football on January 26, 2026, Carragher emphasized that missing out on Europe’s premier competition would leave Slot with “no leg to stand on,” given the club’s recent success and significant financial investment.
Carragher’s comments come amid Liverpool’s alarming domestic slump. The Reds, who won the Premier League title last season under Slot’s predecessor (with Slot taking over in the summer), have struggled badly in their title defense. Following a 3-2 defeat to Bournemouth on January 25, Liverpool dropped to sixth in the Premier League table. They now trail fifth-placed Chelsea by one point and fourth-placed Manchester United by two, with both rivals showing improved form under recent managerial changes. Liverpool have gone winless in their last five league matches, scoring just five goals in that period, and have been particularly vulnerable to late goals, conceding in the 90th minute or later three times this campaign—a club record for a single season.
The former defender highlighted the high expectations at a club of Liverpool’s stature. “If you don’t qualify for the Champions League, having won the league the season before and spent as much as Liverpool, I don’t think you’ve got a leg to stand on,” Carragher said. He pointed to the club’s reported £450 million ($616 million) in summer spending and their status as holders of the Premier League’s highest wage bill, arguing that these factors make underperformance harder to justify. “Not making the Champions League as champions… I think you’ve got serious questions to ask.”
Carragher also critiqued the team’s tactical suitability for the Premier League’s demands. He argued that Liverpool appear ill-equipped to handle key elements of top-flight football: set-pieces and long throws, counter-attacking play, and breaking down low blocks from opponents. “Liverpool can’t cope with any of them,” he stated, contrasting this with their stronger performances in the Champions League, where such issues are less prevalent. The Reds sit fourth in the expanded 36-team league phase standings ahead of their final match against Qarabag on January 28, having already qualified for the knockout stages (at least the play-offs) and boasting wins over heavyweights like Real Madrid and Inter Milan. Carragher suggested Slot has built a side better suited to European competition than the relentless physical and tactical battles of the Premier League.
While acknowledging that some fan criticism and “disrespect” toward Slot has been excessive—especially so soon after a title win—Carragher insisted that failing to finish in the top five (or top four, depending on UEFA coefficients and additional spots) would shift the narrative dramatically. Missing Champions League football would mean lost revenue, reduced appeal to top players, and limited scope for squad improvements, potentially creating a downward spiral.
Slot himself has addressed the mounting “noise” around the club, admitting an “imbalance” in chance creation and conceding at both ends of the pitch. He has cited injuries, fixture congestion, and the challenges of a smaller squad as factors, but stressed the need for improvement to silence doubters. The upcoming clash with Qarabag offers a chance to end the league phase strongly, though domestic woes remain the primary concern.
Carragher’s warning underscores the intense pressure at Anfield. With reports linking Xabi Alonso to a potential return and recent managerial instability at rivals like Manchester United and Chelsea, Slot’s position could become precarious if results do not improve. Liverpool fans and the board will be watching closely as the Reds fight to salvage a European spot that once seemed routine. For a club accustomed to success, anything less than Champions League qualification next season could indeed prove unsustainable for the current regime.
