In Slot’s case, there is serious credit in the bank. The 47-year-old is the only coach alongside Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola and Liverpool predecesor Jurgen Klopp to win the title since 2017-18.
It’s also worth noting that in 2020-21, the season after Liverpool won the league under Klopp, they were eighth after 28 games but Klopp’s future was never truly in doubt. They won 26 points from their last 30 available and ended up finishing third.
However, the following season Klopp’s side failed to qualify for the Champions League – something Slot says would “not be acceptable” this term.
Asked what impact such a scenario would have on his own position, Slot replied: “That is again a difficult question for me to answer because I don’t decide on my future.
“The only thing I do know is that it happened before, and recently, and it didn’t affect the future of that manager. But that doesn’t guarantee anything, of course.
“In general, [with] managers, especially at this club – maybe somewhere else it is mainly, but not only, about results – they also look at the progress the players make, the progress the team makes, the circumstances are sometimes taken into account.
“That is not at all clubs, but I think I am working at a club that does look at those things. As it has shown in the past when the club did not qualify for the Champions League.”
Traditionally, Liverpool are not a club that sacks coaches and the understanding is that the Anfield hierarchy is behind Slot, until the end of the season at least.
Last week, an in-house roundtable chat between Slot, sporting director Richard Hughes and CEO Billy Hogan was posted across Liverpool’s social channels.
Although it was filmed in mid-January, the video showcased a strong relationship between all. Hughes was of course instrumental in Slot’s appointment and getting rid of him would mean admitting that it didn’t work out.
Yet there is a clear awareness that performances and results must improve and Slot is aware of the pressure, both internally and externally.
Boos aren’t exactly the norm at Anfield but they have been heard more frequently this season.
Away from the cameras, Slot is seen as calm, consistent and level-headed, but admissions that he finds it “hard to hear” claims that Liverpool’s football has been “dull” speak of a man that is battling hard, and who is insistent his side can do “something special”.
There is certainly mitigation for Liverpool’s struggles. The death of Diogo Jota last summer was tragic and last week former Liverpool keeper Caoimhín Kelleher said that meant the football side of things was not important this season for Liverpool as players dealt with his loss.
Slot said the meeting he held with the players after Jota’s funeral was one of the most difficult things he’s done in his life.
No one at the club will use Jota’s passing as an excuse for their form but the impact of such a tragedy must be considered.
Liverpool have also faced an injury crisis, including the long-term absences of Giovanni Leoni, Conor Bradley and Alexander Isak, while going through a squad transition that has focused on technical footballers, rather than physical signings.
The feeling behind that strategy is that long-term, the game will move towards a focus on possession, rather than the emphasis on physicality seen this season.
The form of key players dipping hasn’t helped either, so a range of factors have combined to leave Liverpool where they are.
Regardless, given the quality of players at their disposal, it is widely accepted that the defending champions are indeed “not performing to Liverpool’s standard”, as Slot has said.
His suggestion on Tuesday that Liverpool have only been outplayed in three halves this season was far-fetched, however.
When a team loses eight and draws six out of 25 games, such a claim doesn’t stand up.
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