Liverpool

Liverpool

Premier League • England

Jurgen Klopp tipped for Liverpool sack with Reds in ‘decline’ and German’s decision-making torn apart by pundit

Jurgen Klopp overseeing a Liverpool game

A pundit has blasted Jurgen Klopp for some of the decisions he has made this season and believes the manager will be fired by Liverpool due to them being in ‘decline’.

Liverpool have had a slow start to the campaign, winning just two of their opening seven Premier League matches. They have picked up just 10 points so far and already have some work to do to catch the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City.

Part of their troublesome start can be put down to fitness problems. The midfield has been decimated by injuries, forcing Klopp to select weakened teams.

And things have just gotten worse as Klopp has revealed recent midfield signing Arthur Melo is recovering from a muscle issue.

Ahead of the match against Arsenal this weekend, Klopp told a press conference: “There is a new injury with Arthur. In the last session before the Rangers game, in a normal situation he just injured a muscle.

“We have to wait for further assessment to know exactly how long it will be, but he’s out. Curtis [Jones] is now the closest, then Robbo [Andy Robertson], then the others, step by step.”

While injuries have played a big part in Liverpool’s underwhelming season, they are not solely to blame. Several players have underperformed, while Klopp has also made some strange selections.

Former Aston Villa forward Gabby Agbonlahor reckons Klopp has got too many calls wrong this term and he will ultimately get the sack because of this, with Liverpool’s chances of winning the league title already ‘gone’.

Former striker admits concern over Jurgen Klopp future

“Jurgen Klopp was at Dortmund for seven years and in the seventh year, it was poor,” Agbonlahor said during an interview with Football Insider.

“This is his seventh year at Liverpool. He’s got a history of having six years and then it not working out.

“This Liverpool team are in real danger of not finishing in the top-four, the title race has gone. For me, it’s been some of his decisions. Starting [Fabio] Carvalho against Brighton. Yes, he’s a good prospect, but start your best side and bring players off.

“I don’t care if they’ve been on international duty, I don’t care if they have been on a plane from South America, they are not flying RyanAir, they’re on private jets with beds on.

“I don’t want to hear ‘I didn’t start [Darwin] Nunez because of this, I didn’t start [Luis] Diaz because of the international break’. That’s a load of nonsense.

“[You] don’t underestimate some of the teams in the Premier League and he did that. If he had started Diaz then they would have won the [Brighton] game, for me.

“Some of his decision-making too. I love James Milner but you’re bringing him on for [Kostas] Tsimikas. Jordan Henderson was playing some great balls and he brought him off for [Harvey] Elliott.

“I think some of his decisions aren’t right and maybe there’s a problem with Klopp. Liverpool are on the decline, for me. Everyone can see it. Teams aren’t scared to play them anymore.

“We talk about the atmosphere at Anfield, it doesn’t look the same there. There’s something definitely wrong there.

Agbonlahor suggests Liverpool have spent wrong

“This is what happens when you don’t buy players in the position you really need. Would the Nunez money have been better spent on a midfielder? They are very light in midfield, Fabinho can’t run and Thiago is a decent player but he can’t run. The midfield is going to cost them this season.”

Liverpool have certainly had a challenging beginning to the new campaign. However, Agbonlahor goes a bit far in suggesting Klopp will soon receive the sack.

The German has plenty of credit in the bank given what he has helped Liverpool to achieve in recent years.

Plus, Liverpool chiefs will not rush into a decision over his future given the fact he is still waiting on injured players to return.

Klopp penned a new Liverpool contract in April, which should keep him at Anfield until 2026. He has the ability to turn things around this season and could therefore end up seeing out his full Liverpool deal, partly because he already holds legendary status among the Reds.

Meanwhile, Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United are all contenders for the 2023 signing of Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot, according to reports in Italy.