Steven Gerrard set to LEAVE Al-Ettifaq with club in relegation scrap ...

Steven Gerrard is set to leave Saudi Arabian club Al-Ettifaq by mutual consent after an unconvincing 18 months in charge.

The Liverpool legend led the side to a reasonable sixth-placed finish last season but their fortunes have tumbled this campaign - despite them paying him £15million per year.

Al-Ettifaq teeter five points above the relegation places and have won just one of their last 14 league games. 

Calls for Gerrard to resign have intensified in recent months after a humbling cup exit, staff sackings, and public relations disasters.  

A 2-2 draw at Al-Wedha on Saturday likely marked his final game at the helm, with Al-Ettifaq slumping to 12th in an 18-team league. 

It leaves Gerrard drifting once again after he was a resounding success at Rangers but flattered to deceive at Aston Villa. 

Steven Gerrard is set to leave Saudi Arabian club Al-Ettifaq after 18 months in charge 

The Liverpool legend arrived to great optimism in the summer of 2023 but they find themselves in a relegation battle

Gerrard led Al-Ettifaq to sixth last season but they now have one win in 14 league games

They are not one of the four moneybags controlled by Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund and as such, last season's sixth-placed finish was a commendable effort. 

Al-Ettifaq had backed Gerrard when he arrived by signing Jordan Henderson, Georginio Wijnaldum, Demarai Gray, and Jack Hendry over the summer of 2023 and he led them to a one-place improvement. Armed with a deal until 2027, this was a project with room for growth. 

However, cracks began to appear when Henderson wanted out within six months, moving to Ajax, and Gerrard has struggled to hold on to his staff. 

In November 2024, Al-Ettifaq sacked his assistant Dean Holden as well as sporting director Mark Allen - but Gerrard clung on to his job.

He has faced increasing scrutiny from the fans and the media and tensions reaching boiling point when supporters shouted for him to 'get out' after a 2-0 loss to local rivals Al-Qadsiah.

Gerrard made a faux-pas earlier this season when he admitted that he would occasionally structure the team's trainign schedule around Liverpool's matches. 

Speaking to The Redmen TV, he had light-heartedly said: 'John [Achterberg, goalkeeping coach] and I have got more than one eye on it. We put all our schedule around the Liverpool games.

'The players are onto me now; we’ve been training at 9 or 10 at night.'

Jordan Henderson's decision to leave after a few months last season marked a pivotal moment 

Gerrard has also lost key allies such as assistant Dean Holden, who was sacked in November

In October, they were beaten 3-1 by lower league outfit Al-Jabalain to exit the King Cup at the last-16 stage, which further increased frustrations. 

He was dealt another blow this month after losing one of key players, with midfielder Seko Fofana having departed for Ligue 1 outfit Rennes in a permanent deal.

Fofana had joined Al-Ettifaq on loan from rivals Al-Nassr midway through last season.

Complaints about Gerrard's starting XIs have become commonplace. After losing 3-2 to Al-Orobah on October 20, one despairing supporter wrote: 'I was very optimistic before the match, but when I saw the lineup, I washed my hands of it. In every match, there is confusion and changing of names.

'It has confused me and all the experts about how to draw the lineup that Mr. Gerrard has been in for seven or eight rounds so far. He has been around since last season and he doesn't know how to put together a lineup.'

Meanwhile, Saudi-based pundit Nasser Al-Jedaie has been fiercely critical of Gerrard's management.

He said: 'Gerrard served Al-Ettifaq outside the field, but there are no results for the technical work. What is the project that Gerrard is leading?'

Coming into this campaign, Al-Ettifaq had further backed their boss. Former Lyon striker Karl Toko Ekambi arrived mid-way through last campaign, while over the summer they brought in Joao Costa from Roma and Marek Rodak from Fulham. 

Fans have long been calling for Gerrard to resign for some time amid a sour campaign 

Gerrard's side are 12th in the Saudi Pro League and just five points above the relegation zone

However, after a promising start saw them win their three opening games, they have won just one subsequent league fixture - and that was on December 7. 

'The team's performance was poor and it's hard to defend anyone, especially when we concede three goals like that,' said Gerrard after a recent 3-2 loss to Al-Kholood. 

To potential employers, Gerrard will point to his astonishing stint at Rangers as evidence of his potential in the dugout. 

In the title-winning 2020/21 league season, Rangers went unbeaten, bagged 102 points, set a British record for fewest goals conceded (13), won every home game, and prevented Celtic from winning a tenth consecutive Scottish Premier League.