"Everyone has the right to compare, but is it fair?", Slot said on 20/2 during a press conference ahead of the match against Nottingham Forest in round 27 of the Premier League. "We are both different. The only common point between Klopp and me is that we have both won national championships, and that's not bad."

On Sky Sports' The Overlap Fan Debate a day earlier, Rooney stated that Slot lacks the charisma and personality of Jurgen Klopp, the coach who previously led Liverpool to the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, and League Cup titles. The former England striker even suggested that Slot could be dismissed if he fails to secure a Champions League spot for Liverpool next season.

"I think the more a coach wins, the more charisma they have; that's obvious," Slot added. "Perhaps last season I had more charisma than this season. But Jurgen certainly possesses that. I believe a winning coach naturally develops an aura."

Coach Arne Slot celebrates after Liverpool's 3-0 victory over Brighton in round four of the FA Cup at Anfield, Liverpool, England on 14/2. Photo: Reuters

Slot acknowledged the increasing pressure on coaches in the media era. He stated, "Lose one or two matches, and everything gets heavily discussed. This job is harder now due to media scrutiny. Maintaining a position for 8-10 years, as Klopp or Pep Guardiola have done, is a significant achievement."

When asked if the coach remains the most important figure at the club, the Dutch manager was pragmatic: "I don't care who is most important. I just focus on my job. I'm happy just being the head coach. If I also had to negotiate contracts and work with agents, I don't understand how one person could do it all."

The 47-year-old coach also noted that many of this season's defeats have been hard to stomach. Liverpool previously lost 0-3 to Nottingham Forest at Anfield in 11/2025, along with dropping points in many matches during injury time.

"There were matches where we deserved more. Sometimes we were unlucky, sometimes we didn't get the results we deserved. It's very rare for us to say a defeat was completely acceptable," Slot shared.

Liverpool currently sits sixth in the Premier League with 42 points, two points behind Chelsea and three points behind Man Utd. Slot's team has also reached the round of 16 of the Champions League and will face Wolves in round five of the FA Cup on 6/3.

Hong Duy (according to Daily Mail)