Jamie Carragher feels ‘real questions’ are being asked of Jurgen Klopp for first time in his Liverpool career after defeat by Man City… and ex-Reds defender says his old side are now in ‘unthinkable’ position of top-four fight
‘Real questions’ are now being asked of manager Jurgen Klopp for the first time in his Liverpool career, ex-Reds defender Jamie Carragher has admitted.
Liverpool’s hopes of defending their Premier League title this season look to have been extinguished after Manchester City hit four in a rout at Anfield on Sunday.
City are now 10 points clear of Liverpool, still with a game in hand, and Carragher reflected on the first time in the Klopp era where things ‘aren’t going to plan’.
Jurgen Klopp is facing ‘real questions’ for the first time at Liverpool, says Jamie Carragher
The Sky Sports pundit said that it is the first time ‘things are not going to plan’ under Klopp
Defeat leaves Liverpool 10 points off City and in a perilous position in the race for the top four
‘This is the first time under Jurgen Klopp when real questions are starting to be asked,’ Carragher told Sky Sports.
‘The manager and the team have done so much.
‘It’s the first time in five-and-a-half years where things aren’t going to plan and are not really expected.’
Liverpool were a class apart last season as they ended a 30-year wait for a top flight league title.
Phil Foden (centre right) was at his silky best and capped off the display with his side’s fourth
Liverpool looked dejected in a defeat that all but ends hopes of defending their league title
The season before they were crowned Champions of Europe after beating Tottenham in the UEFA Champions League final in Madrid. The year prior they were only just pipped to the league by City and reached the Champions League final, and they also reached the Europa League final early in Klopp’s tenure.
But injuries have caught up with Liverpool this season and City’s demolition job at Anfield has left, in Carragher’s opinion, the Reds in a battle to make the top four.
‘Those top-four positions are up for grabs,’ he added.
‘That would have been unthinkable at the start of the season when thinking about Liverpool.’
Carragher’s Sky colleague Graeme Souness agreed that the top four was now a ‘challenge’ for Klopp and his players – but he insisted the club’s transfer inactivity last summer is to blame for the current malaise.
Graeme Souness has criticised Liverpool for a lack of investment in players last summer
Souness told Sky Sports: ‘When you’re at the top of the tree, that’s when you go and invest big.
‘I would think if you’re the current champions, European champions year before, I’m sure you could find a bank willing to support you. That’s the time to invest.’
Phil Foden was the star of the show for City, scoring and adding two assists in a fine display.
But a lot of the scrutiny fell at Liverpool’s door in the knowledge that the champions are 27 points worse off than they were at this stage last season.
They are languishing in fourth, one point ahead of Thomas Tuchel’s reinvigorated Chelsea.