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Arne Slot is facing intense pressure as he attempts to secure a Champions League<\/a> spot for Liverpool while competing in Europe. After a difficult 2-0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain, the team now faces a major challenge to overturn the deficit and reach the semi-finals.<\/p>\n Domestically, Liverpool currently sits in 5th place. A recent 2-0 win over Fulham has helped them pull four points clear of Chelsea, providing some breathing room in the race for Champions League qualification.<\/p>\n Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images<\/a><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Despite criticism regarding the form of recent signings and the team’s overall consistency, Slot has found support from a familiar face. Marino Pusic, his former assistant manager at Feyenoord, recently spoke out to defend the Dutchman\u2019s work and tactical approach this season.<\/p>\n Marino Pusic, who worked alongside Slot from 2021 to 2023, compared the Dutchman\u2019s current tenure to that of former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.<\/p>\n \u201cI think Arne deserves much more credit at Liverpool right now than he is getting.\u201d<\/p>\n Pusic argued that Slot achieved a Premier League<\/a> title in his debut season, whereas Klopp also won the trophy only once during his time at the club. He noted:<\/p>\n \u201cMany people forget how frequently Liverpool has become champion of England in recent decades. Arne did it right away in his first season, but Jurgen Klopp has also only won the Premier League title once.”<\/p>\n \ud83d\udde3\ufe0f Arne Slot's assistant at Feyenoord Marino Pusic : — Anything Liverpool (@AnythingLFC_) April 13, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n The comments from Pusic, who is currently managing Al Jazira in the UAE Pro League, did not sit well with the Liverpool fanbase. Supporters quickly expressed their disagreement with the comparison.<\/p>\n One supporter highlighted the club’s current struggles, questioning the timing of the praise while the team sits in fifth place during the critical month of April. They suggested the comments felt like an attempt to reframe a difficult season as a major success.<\/p>\n Other fans argued that Slot\u2019s initial success was largely due to the foundation built by his predecessor. They shared the following views:<\/p>\n The frequent comparisons also caused frustration among those who felt the remarks were disrespectful to Klopp’s legacy. Fans expressed their irritation, stating:<\/p>\n This story was originally published by Athlon Sports<\/a> on Apr 13, 2026, where it first appeared in the Soccer<\/a> section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.<\/a><\/i><\/p>\nMarino Pusic Defends Arne Slot<\/h2>\n
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\u201cI think Arne deserves much more credit at Liverpool right now than he is getting.
Many people forget how frequently Liverpool has become champion of England in recent decades. Arne did it right away in his first season, but\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/vwPlVnIMmA<\/a><\/p>\n\n
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