3 managers 'unlikely' to make final Liverpool shortlist

Three managers are unlikely to become the new Liverpool boss - despite scoring highly in the club's data research. The Reds are looking for perfection.

The Athletic has put out a detailed run-down of Liverpool's search for a new manager. They highlight the usual names as topping the shortlist - Xabi Alonso and Ruben Amorim appear to be numbers one and two.

But the search certainly goes deeper than just those two. Liverpool are looking into the data on a series of managers, with several scoring very well.

The report mentions three, however, who aren't expected on the final shortlist despite scoring highly in the data. Roberto De Zerbi, Eddie Howe and Franck Haise are all 'unlikely' to make that shortlist when the Reds are finished narrowing things down.

De Zerbi is perhaps the surprising name there. The Brighton manager has been linked with the job since the very start, usually as an alternative to Alonso. De Zerbi was once considered a solid prediction, in fact.

And despite scoring well, Liverpool seem to believe there's something there that doesn't quite click. That could be Brighton's drop-off this season defensively, while De Zerbi has never won a major trophy as manager or really competed for one.

The latter two points remain true for both Howe and Haise, too. The latter did guide Lens to the Champions League last season, but he's still incredibly inexperienced while lacking the kind of title experience of Alonso or Amorim.

Howe could be a difficult manager to go for, even if Liverpool did want him. Newcastle United aren't exactly easy to negotiate with and given the doubts around him, Howe isn't really worth that fight.

There will be other names knocked off the list before long, too, as Liverpool whittle it down. Ultimately, the same two keep cropping up - Alonso and Amorim.