Wayne Rooney was a gleeful onlooker as Liverpool lost the Merseyside Derby on Wednesday night.
A boyhood Everton fan and former player as well as a Manchester United legend, Rooney has all the ammunition he needs to despise Liverpool.
And, although he did his best to be an impartial onlooker as a pundit for Sky Sports at Goodison Park, the 38-year-old could barely contain his delight.
Whatever Rooney’s feelings though, the 2-0 defeat laid bare the current problems within Liverpool’s squad. The two centre-backs, for example, were dreadful. Next to him in the studio, Jamie Carragher tore into Ibrahima Konate in particular.
Beyond that though, the nature of Liverpool’s limp display also highlighted the challenge for he Reds next manager, which looks likely to be Arne Slot. And after the game, Rooney gave his prediction for what the future holds.
Wayne Rooney predicts post-Jurgen Klopp Liverpool
Perhaps Liverpool fans won’t put too much weight into anything Rooney thinks about the Reds. He has always been vocal in his hatred towards the club.
However, as a man experienced in the rigours of top-level football and a currently out of work manager, his professional opinion is at least worth listening to.
And speaking after the derby had ended, Rooney suggested that Liverpool could be in for a tough couple of years after Jurgen Klopp leaves.
“I think Jurgen Klopp is almost like a father to a lot of those players,” explained the pundit.
“For those players now to go from Jurgen Klopp to whoever the next manager may be, it’s going to be completely different. It’s not going to be the same as under Jurgen Klopp, so I think players will find that difficult.
“We see it throughout football works and cycles and managers come and go. He has been there for quite a long time now, and I think some of the players will want a new challenge and I do believe Liverpool over the next two, three years will be in a transition period.”
What’s the latest on Arne Slot
As Klopp prepares for his last four games as Liverpool manager, work is ongoing to sort out his replacement.
On Thursday morning, journalist Fabrizio Romano shared the latest update, with FSG negotiating a deal with Feyenoord to take Slot to Anfield.
The expectation seems to be that a deal will be agreed in the coming days. It now feels virtually certain that Slot will be the man to take the reigns from Klopp.
History would suggest that taking over from such a successful and popular manager is something of a poisoned chalice. It’ll be up to the Dutchman to prove that wrong.
Expectations will certainly have to be managed amongst the fanbase, but there’s no reason for Slot to feel trepidatious. Liverpool will be back.