LIVERPOOL MANAGER JURGEN Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admits current performances are not at the level required to defend their title.
Having gone unbeaten for almost four years at home in the league, Klopp’s side have now lost back-to-back matches at Anfield with Brighton repeating Burnley’s 1-0 victory of a fortnight ago thanks to a first Premier League goal from Steven Alzate.
Liverpool have now failed to score in three consecutive home league games for the first time since October 1984 – not the run required heading into a home game against Manchester City on Sunday.
They have won just two of the last eight league matches and it has left them fourth, seven points behind the Premier League leaders, who have a match in hand.
“The gap to City… I am manager of Liverpool and so you ask and I have to say we want to be champions but you need games for it and we need performances for it and we don’t have that,” said Klopp.
“We fight for three points, it is not decided who will get the three points on Sunday. We have to play better and we will try.
“These gaps are not interesting at the moment. They are the result of the results we had already.
“What we can influence is the next game. Tonight it was not enough. We know that and we have to change that.”
Liverpool were missing forwards Sadio Mane and Diogo Jota, whose return from two months out with a knee injury cannot come soon enough, as well as Fabinho, defenders Virgil Van Dijk and Joe Gomez and goalkeeper Alisson Becker – absent with a non-Covid-related illness.
Klopp believes the players who are fit are starting to feel the effects of those absences.
“Brighton rightly so won the game, deserved. They were fresher than us tonight, they did more good things than we did and we lost too many easy balls,” he added.
“We didn’t create a lot, for me the team looked tonight, fatigued, mentally fatigued and that leads to not the best play as well.
“We were not fresh enough which means we were not good enough to break the formation of Brighton.”
Defender Andy Robertson shared similar sentiments last night, conceding that Liverpool are not currently in the title race and warning that if they do not regain their consistency, then qualifying for the Champions League is going to be a challenge.
For the Seagulls a third win in four matches also brought their first league win over Liverpool since 1982.
“It’s a fantastic performance and a fantastic result. There is no getting away from it. I thought we deserved the win,” said head coach Graham Potter.
“I think the performance showed character and quality. I’m so proud of the players, a great result for everyone connected with the club.
“I thought the players were sensational tonight. They left everything on the pitch and I’m so happy and proud.
“It wasn’t like we parked the bus and nicked a 1-0 win. It was one of quality, courage and effort.
“We deserved the three points.”
I don’t understand fatigued bit, City and United were chasing European cups till late August, Liverpool had the title done and dusted in early July, could have sent them all on a holiday to get ready for 2021, yet played them all till the end chasing a 100 point goal
@padraig whelton: Hasn’t trusted his squad players enough.
“To be Champions we need to win games, good man Jurgen, thanks for educating us…
League is gone from Liverpool at this stage. Dropped too many points against the poor sides. City looking like they will be taking it back!
Brighton were excellent in defence and on the break and played very intelligently. Great team performance and individually also. Very well coached.
Ahhh go way de fook
Very strange for players and manager to talk about not being in the title race, all other players or managers that would have found themselves in the same situation previously would have a never die attitude until mathematiically impossible to win…… Must be issues behind the scenes at pool?
What a whinger!!!
Between klopp being a one trick pony and the vultures flying around here, Liverpool are looking for a pity plea. A squad that is basically not good enough and it has shown that. He is now making excuses. West ham right up behind them and look like keeping going. Yoy dont see anyone else moaning like Klopp.