Dalglish sweats for job after Yanks demand answers

MERSEYSLIDE ... Kop are still way behind top club

KENNY DALGLISH flew back to England yesterday still sweating over his future at Liverpool.

The ominous silence from the Reds’ American owners — and a refusal to issue a public backing — has left the Kop boss fearing the worst.

Dalglish and assistant Steve Clarke made a whistle-stop visit to Fenway Sports Group chiefs John W Henry and Tom Werner on Monday.

Dalglish flew back to Heathrow airport yesterday following the scheduled end-of-season debrief.

Yet although he has already drawn up plans for next season, including making Wigan midfielder Mohamed Diame his first summer signing, he is still uncertain on his future.

Rumours that he had quit or been sacked were wide of the mark. There were also suggestions Dalglish had made it clear he had no wish to take up an upstairs position, throwing the ball back to FSG.

The Liverpool manager is due to go on holiday today and the owners’ ongoing silence has outraged supporters, who rate him as the greatest Liverpool legend of all.

A month ago Henry and Werner had insisted he was under no threat. Since then Liverpool have gone within a crossbar’s width of adding the FA Cup to the Carling Cup.

But the disastrous Premier League campaign, which saw the Reds limp home in eighth place, outweighed the cup glories in the eyes of the Yanks.

Bookies have already compiled odds on the Reds’ next manager, with Wigan chief Roberto Martinez high on the list.

Former Chelsea gaffer Andre-Villas Boas, double winning Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp and Freiburg’s Christian Streich are others in the frame if Dalglish is axed.

Dirk Kuyt wants to stay at Liverpool — as long as Dalglish is booted out.

The midfielder’s agent Rob Jansen said: “We’ve had talks with various clubs but have deliberately not taken a decision yet.

“If Dalglish leaves it is very possible Dirk won’t go anywhere but stay with the club he loves most.

“But he needs to have some indication he will get more playing time.”