Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has insisted that neither he, nor his players, are any worse than last year, despite poor results this season.
Hopes of finishing in the top four are fading fast after losing to Manchester City and drawing at Chelsea in the space of four days, leaving the club 10 points adrift of Champions League qualification ahead of Premier League leaders Arsenal’s visit to Anfield on Sunday.
They have lost nine times in 28 matches – the joint-most of any of Klopp’s seasons at the club, discounting his first when he arrived in October and oversaw eight of their 10 losses in that campaign.
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Klopp has argued the previous, unprecedented 63-game quadruple-chasing season and critical injuries at pivotal times have helped derail their progress and create a perfect storm.
“It is one of these moments where it is really not good – I am not native so I can’t explain it better in English,” he said.
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“You get in this whirlwind and it sucks you in that direction and all of a sudden it’s like, ‘wow, where are we?’
Image: Jurgen Klopp's side were thrashed 4-1 by Manchester City
“[But] I am not a worse manager than last year, definitely not. It doesn’t mean the outcome is good enough, not at all. But I’m not worse.
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“And the players are not worse players. They just play worse. That’s definitely the case.”
Klopp has been criticised for not refreshing an ageing squad, particularly in midfield, and while that will be addressed in the summer with a significant spend likely, he argues there was not the possibility to make widespread changes.
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It was pointed out to him that Sunday’s opponents endured similar trouble last year, although their starting point was much lower than Liverpool’s, but with clever recruitment, Mikel Arteta has produced a potentially title-winning squad and that could offer hope to Klopp come the start of next season.
“Yeah, the difference is whatever we do next year will never be enough from people’s point of view and your [the media’s] point of view,” he added.
“But yes, with smart recruitment we will improve – definitely. That is the plan.
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Klopp says it is ‘super difficult’ to find answers for his team’s inconsistent form and jokes about the early start of press conference
“We cannot make 24 changes and say, ‘here we go’ – not even 10 – but it is just that we have to make changes, smart changes, and then we go again.
“We have other moments when we think about what happens next year but this is not the moment.”
Watch Liverpool vs Arsenal on Sunday from 4pm, live on Sky Sports Main Event; Kick-off 4.30pm
Liverpool’s remaining fixtures…
Sunday: Arsenal (H) – Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports
April 17: Leeds (A) – Premier League, kick-off 8pm, live on Sky Sports
April 22: Nottingham Forest (H) – Premier League, kick-off 3pm
April 26: West Ham (A) – Premier League, kick-off 7.45pm
April 30: Tottenham (H) – Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports
May 3: Fulham (A) – Premier League, kick-off 8pm
May 6: Brentford (H) – Premier League, kick-off 5.30pm, live on Sky Sports
May 13: Leicester (A) – Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 20: Aston Villa (H) – Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 28: Southampton (A) – Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm
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