Liverpool chiefs compile three-man shortlist of Arne Slot replacements including 'next Jurgen Klopp'

That includes a run of three consecutive matches where they have lost by a margin of three goals - the latest being a 4-1 thrashing at the hands of PSV at Anfield in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

That shock loss has rang the alarm bells at Liverpool HQ, who are still extremely reluctant to sack Slot after he delivered the Premier League title last season.

Nevertheless, there is still a feeling among Liverpool chiefs that this cannot continue much longer and if form does not pick up soon, they might be forced into a change.

It is not how the club want to operate and they are desperate for Slot to fix the situation, but GB News understands that three candidates have been drawn up as possible replacements, while the idea of an interim manager was thrown out rather quickly

The top choice to replace Slot is Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner, who has performed miracles at the south London club after winning the FA Cup last season - the first trophy the Eagles have ever won.

Liverpool chiefs believe Glasner could be tempted to leave Palace midway through the season and are prepared to offer him funds in January.

Liverpool's hierarchy see Glasner's brand of football as the perfect foil for the current squad, though there is a general feeling that they must sign a defender in the winter transfer window.

That could see Glasner reunite with Marc Guehi, Palace's current captain and the subject of intense transfer speculation over the summer, whose contract expires in June 2026.

Much like the England international, Glasner's contract also expires at the end of the current season.

Palace have been desperate to tie the Austrian down to a new deal but he has yet to communicate his long-term plans to the board.

Liverpool believe they can take advantage of this uncertainty should the necessity arise and pluck him from Selhurst Park without much hassle.

Also on Liverpool's managerial shortlist is Andoni Iraola, who has worked wonders with Bournemouth since joining them in 2023.

Like Glasner, the Spaniard's contract expires at the end of the season.

However, Iraola is happy on the south coast and is relaxed over his contract situation, while he also harbours ambitions at one of Spain's top clubs.

Hansi Flick and Xabi Alonso have had their problems at Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively, while Iraola's previous coaching job at Rayo Vallecano, where he took them from the Segunda Division to the last-four in the Copa del Rey, saw his reputation grow.

And a third name on Liverpool's shortlist is VfB Stuttgart boss Sebastian Hoeness.

The German coach has been linked with several top jobs already, including Chelsea and Bayern Munich, and is seen as one of the best up and coming managers in the Bundesliga.

Last season, the 43-year-old led Stuttgart to DFB-Pokal glory, their first big trophy since winning the Bundesliga in 2007.

He also led Stuttgart to a runners-up spot in the Bundesliga in 2024, ahead of Bayern Munich, as Serhou Guirassy scored 28 league goals.

Hoeness had been remarked as the 'new Jurgen Klopp', though his possession-based tactics would separate him from the ex-Liverpool boss.

Meanwhile, Slot has come out fighting in a press conference on Thursday where he admitted he had held talks with the club owners.

He said: "We've had the same conversations that we've had since I got here. We fight on.

"We try to improve, but the conversations have been the same as they have been for the last one and a half years."