Steven Gerrard was booed off the pitch by Al-Ettifaq fans as his tenure with the Saudi Arabian club hit a new low on Saturday. The former Liverpool midfielder’s side lost 2-0 at home to Al-Qadsiyah, dropping them to 11th in the Saudi Pro League table following their fourth defeat in six games across all competitions.
The loss comes just days after Al-Ettifaq were embarrassed in the King’s Cup by lower-league side Al-Jabalain, with many criticising Gerrard’s team selection on the night. While the 44-year-old insists that he takes responsibility for the current slump, it appears fans are losing patience amid rumours of his potential sacking.
Fans Boo Gerrard After Another Poor Performance
The manager is being linked with a return to Rangers
As seen in footage shared on social media, Gerrard was serenaded with boos by the home supporters as he showed his respects after the final whistle. Interestingly enough, the fans seemed to applaud the players for their efforts, making it clear who they believed was the root cause of the issues. Watch the footage below:
According to reports in the Middle East, as per the Daily Record, the club’s hierarchy is said to be reviewing the situation, and a decision on Gerrard’s future is expected to be made within the next week, despite handing him a contract extension in January. Meanwhile, the manager continues to shoulder the responsibility for the poor performances but has claimed that he still believes in the project:
“I spoke to the players. If we had performed like this before, we would not have put ourselves in this embarrassing situation, but I bear the responsibility. We conceded the first goal from a set piece. Previously, we used to defend better from set pieces. The second goal was scored by a young player, and he made the same mistake he made against Al-Fayha. The player is young, and I bear responsibility for the second goal.
“I bear full responsibility for using a young player in defence, as he has little experience. His recruitment was to prepare him for development and the future, and using him was not appropriate, but due to injuries, we were put in this position.”
Should Gerrard be sacked from his £15.2m-per-year job, he could make a swift return to management as he has been linked with his former club Rangers. The former England international was the last man to deliver a league title to Ibrox and has been linked with the managerial hot seat as current boss Philippe Clement faces increasing pressure.