Arne Slot’s position as Liverpool head coach is not under immediate threat, even if the Reds suffer what has been described as a "horrendous" defeat away to struggling Tottenham. Former midfielder Don Hutchison believes patience will be shown, though he warns that continued inconsistency could still derail Liverpool’s season and leave Champions League qualification out of reach.Liverpool head into a difficult Premier League trip to Tottenham with pressure mounting on Slot after an inconsistent start to the campaign. Results have fluctuated sharply, leaving the defending champions outside the top four and searching for momentum during a congested run of fixtures. Despite the unease around performances, there is no indication that Slot’s job is under immediate threat. Internally, the focus remains on stabilising form rather than reacting to a single result, even one that could prove damaging in the context of league position.Former West Ham, Everton and Scotland midfielder Hutchison has weighed in on the situation, describing a defeat at Spurs as a major setback but not one that would force Liverpool into drastic managerial action at this stage of the season.During an interview with oddsboom.co.uk, Hutchison was clear that a loss in north London would be painful, but not terminal for Slot. "That would be horrendous. While they're off the back of some good form, then I think they need to build on it. We've just seen Nottingham Forest turn Spurs over at the weekend. Tottenham are just a very hard side to get a handle on under Thomas Frank. Their home form is terrible. I never fancied them to go to Forest at the weekend. I knew Forest would have too much about them because they are like a deck of cards at times, the way they play. Once they give up a goal, Spurs, they just crumble."Reflecting on Liverpool’s recent performance levels, Hutchison added: "The way Liverpool played against Brighton, but for an hour, it was easily the best that [Milos] Kerkez has played, easily the best that [Hugo] Ekitike has played, and easily Florian Wirtz’s best game. So I think they’ll take confidence in that. If they lose it'll be a blow, but I don't think it'll put Arne Slot under pressure. If they win it, they're in good form and they can try and get closer to Villa in third."Looking further ahead, Hutchison also dismissed fears of a dramatic collapse. "No chance. They’ve got too many good players. The Spurs game is the one that leaps out as the only potentially troubling one, which they're playing next. Then I think they've got Leeds, Wolves and Fulham. Those are all games they should be looking at and expecting three points."I think the current top three are nailed on for the top three and it's one position now up for grabs for the Champions League. It might be a case of Liverpool finishing in the Europa League spots unless they get a move on."Slot’s second season has been a sharp contrast to his debut campaign, when Liverpool surged to the title with authority. Expectations were reset dramatically after that success, and the Dutchman has since faced the challenge of evolving the squad while maintaining consistency.Liverpool currently sit seventh in the Premier League standings with 26 points, the same as Crystal Palace, Manchester United, and Sunderland; however, they now sit 10 points behind league leaders, Arsenal, who started the league strong but have shown frailties recently. While flashes of quality remain evident, particularly in individual performances, cohesion has often been lacking. Mohamed Salah's uncertain situation has increased dressing room tensions, and the Reds' on-field performances have often shown gaps in the squad's wavelength.Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reportingThe immediate focus is the Tottenham match, which Hutchison identified as Liverpool’s most testing short-term hurdle. Beyond that, upcoming fixtures against Leeds, Wolves and Fulham are seen as opportunities to rebuild momentum and accumulate points quickly.Slot will be expected to use those matches to reassert control and push Liverpool back toward the Champions League conversation. Failure to do so would intensify scrutiny, even if his position remains officially secure.