Ruud Gullit believes that Liverpool should stick with underfire manager Arne Slot next season, despite the underwhelming defence of their Premier League crown this term.
Slot’s Reds are currently fifth in the league table with one game remaining – that being Sunday’s home clash with Brentford.
The Reds are 23 points behind newly-crowned Premier League champions Arsenal – and 19 points adrift of second-placed Manchester City.
Liverpool have lost 12 of their 37 games so far, winning 17 and drawing eight, with expensive signings such as Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak having failed to make their mark on Merseyside.
Loss of Jota
Gullit thinks the tragic loss of Diogo Jota has had such a huge impact on the club, making it hard to judge this season.
The former Netherlands forward also expressed his wish for Mo Salah to remain at the club if he can find his mojo, while also aiming a couple of digs at club captain Virgil van Dijk.
Gullit feels the Dutch centre-back needs to accept criticism for his own performances and take more responsibility for Liverpool’s losses.
In an exclusive interview with MrRaffle.com, Gullit said of Liverpool boss Slot:“I think they need to give him another year.
“The whole situation with [Diogo] Jota hung over that club the entire time. Everybody deals with grief differently. Some need much more time.
Difficult environment
“And that feeling – that missing – will stay for a long, long time. Can you imagine the new players coming into an environment like that? It’s difficult.
“I’ve been at a club where there was a death, and for some reason there’s a certain energy everywhere. You can feel it. Like a cloud over the club. A numbness.
“You don’t know how to deal with it. So I think Liverpool need time to heal, and I believe that will happen after this season.”
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Premier League news: Man City to hold talks with Pep Guardiola after Arsenal title win
Salah’s summer exit
Reds legend Salah has had a quiet season compared to his own high standards, and will head for the Anfield exit door this summer.
Gullit added: “Salah is not the same Salah as last year. He was a very close friend to Jota – very close. So that’s part of it.
“Something also changed with the new recruits and the way the team played in relation to him. I think he was out of his comfort zone on a lot of issues. I hope Salah finds his mojo again.
“Whether that’s at Liverpool, I don’t know. But if he finds it, the best place is for him to stay there.”
VVD experience important
Powerful centre-back Van Dijk is another player whose performances have dropped at times during this campaign.
And Gullit said: “They’re already recruiting young defenders, but his experience is important.
“I’ve been the most critical of him – and he doesn’t like being criticised. That’s his ego. And that’s not a bad thing.
“But he didn’t play well. The last couple of weeks he was much better, and maybe some of that was connected to the Jota situation too.
“But what I always want to hear from him is – he always points the finger at others when something goes wrong.
“I just want to know what he thinks of his own performance. Not ‘the team has to do this or that.’
“Have a look at yourself. Could you do better? Are you happy with it? I just want to know that.
“Nothing else. Because I think he’s a great defender – but he hasn’t always shown it.
“And he’s been criticised plenty of times. He doesn’t like it, but that’s part of football.
“If he plays well, he gets all the credit too. That’s why I say it – because he’s capable of such high levels.”
READ NEXT: Premier League: Man City title hopes end as Bournemouth draw crowns Arsenal champions
SportJustSport writers 
Ella Magyar