Arne Slot's future at Liverpool has Micah Richards and Alan Shearer in disagreement

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Alan Shearer has suggested Arne Slot might have to lift the Champions League trophy to keep his job at Liverpool - but Micah Richards has urged the Reds to give the Dutchman another campaign.

The heat has been rising on Slot as Liverpool suffer through a disastrous Premier League title defence . The Dutchman also endured a mortifying FA Cup elimination which saw Manchester City thrash the Reds 4-0.

Matters could be set to intensify as his team head to France to take on Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their quarter-final clash on Wednesday night. Shearer reckons this fixture carries added weight for Slot, as securing the European trophy might be their sole route into next season's tournament, given the Reds' erratic domestic form.

On The Rest is Football podcast , Shearer said: "It's crazy, especially after what they did last season and the money they have spent. It just hasn't worked for them, they've been all over the place, they've been so inconsistent.

"He has to get in the Champions League via winning it. I'm not even sure top five would be enough, but it's not nice to see what's going on at Liverpool."

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Back in January, Shearer stated he thinks Slot will get the boot if he doesn't secure Champions League qualification for next term. The Premier League is presently the frontrunner to receive the additional berth in Europe's premier competition through the co-efficient rankings, though this hasn't been officially rubber-stamped yet.

Should the Premier League secure this additional European spot, a fifth-place finish would be sufficient for Champions League qualification next season. The Reds currently occupy the fifth spot, but the battle for the top five is incredibly tight, with just five points separating Liverpool and ninth-placed Fulham , as Chelsea , Brentford and Everton all lurk ready to pounce on any slip-ups.

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While Shearer believes Slot could be in serious trouble if Liverpool miss out on Champions League football, Richards feels the Dutchman has built up enough goodwill to keep his job even if they fall short, pointing to last season's Premier League title win. The former England star said: "I'd like to see him get one more season.

"This season has been, I don't want to say a transition and I know a lot of people will say 'Hold on, he's spent a lot of money.' But their main striker has been out, they've had a death within the club with Jota, the whole thing with getting players over the line with contracts, the saga with Salah, nothing has been straight forward.

"I would like to see him with another pre-season and if next season it's not going their way, then by Christmas , yeah, make the change. He's a manager who has won the Premier League, let's not forget, just last season."

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Shearer remained unconvinced, responding: "That in itself is a thing that he won the league but he's miles behind this year after spending that much money. I understand what you are saying in terms of the circumstances.

"But you're talking about Liverpool football club for winning and spending a fortune. They might not even finish in the top five. That's why they have to get through in the Champions League."