The longer Jurgen Klopp’s tenure at Liverpool has gone on, the more tetchy his post-match comments and the more vivid the imagery he evokes after a defeat has become.
His latest touched on their current injury crisis, which saw three more members of his squad go down with some sort of issue.
‘The week was crazy. It was like we had a witch in the building, honestly. Every day somebody else pulled out for the craziest reasons.’
Jurgen Klopp is bristling already after Liverpool’s stuttering start to the new season
The Reds have claimed just two points from games against Fulham and Crystal Palace
No doubt the German boss’ complaints were valid and the frustration to keep players fit has hit well before the issue of World Cup fatigue can become a thing.
The Reds were already without Caoimhin Kelleher, Ibrahima Konate, Calvin Ramsay, Curtis Jones, Thiago Alcantara, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Diogo Jota ahead of the frustrating 1-1 draw against Crystal Palace.
Joel Matip was ruled out with a groin problem again and the centre-back was later joined by Roberto Firmino in becoming unavailable. Joe Gomez was also deemed not fit enough to start. And it seems as if Klopp could not believe what he was hearing.
But as always, behind Klopp’s raw emotion of genuine concern is a frustration as to the differing fortunes of Liverpool’s Premier League title rivals in the blue half of Manchester.
Meanwhile, Manchester City have had little trouble beating West Ham and Bournemouth
Thiago Alcantara (left) is out for six weeks and is one of a number of injuries at Anfield
While the Reds have only managed draws against promoted Fulham and Crystal Palace, Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City have had little trouble swatting West Ham and Bournemouth aside.
The champions and Arsenal are the only two sides left in the top flight with 100 per cent records this season, and particularly in the case of the former with Erling Haaland up top that is an ominous sign for the rest of the league.
Klopp’s Liverpool have been the regular challengers to City in the past few seasons which has seen a competitive but respectful rivalry emerge between the two sides.
Joel Matip was ruled out with a groin problem again as their injury crisis deepened
A sole point separated the two teams last season, and it is always the runners-up who end up wondering where the key slip-up – or slip-ups – occurred which stopped them from claiming glory.
It is therefore difficult to imagine Klopp will not look at taking just two points from a trip to Craven Cottage and the visit of Palace as huge opportunities wasted to ensure they keep pace with City from the off.
That anger has seeped through into his post-match reaction, first at Fulham, where they twice came from behind to earn an underwhelming point.
‘The best thing about today was the result. The fact we got a point after a really bad game from my side. Now it’s a question of ”how can that happen?”
Klopp has blamed the ‘dry’ Fulham pitch and his squad’s attitude so far this season
‘The attitude was not right in the beginning, then we wanted to fight back, but you don’t find it easy anymore.
‘The pitch was dry, we played into their cards… The result is fine, I don’t think we deserve more than that. But the performance is massively improvable.’
The Whites subsequently mocked Klopp for his complaints about the pitch, posting an image of the turf being watered with the caption: ‘The Craven Cottage turf looking absolutely lush yesterday’.
But the more worrying aspect was the questioning of the attitude of his players, something the former Borussia Dortmund boss has rarely accused his side of lacking since taking charge.
It is not as if there were concerns about the squad’s mindset coming into the new season either. Mohamed Salah signed a new long-term contract at the club at the start of July, while Darwin Nunez replaced the outgoing Sadio Mane.
Fabio Carvalho and Ramsay were signed with an eye on the club’s long-term future and are representative of Liverpool’s excellent recruitment policy since Klopp took charge.
The one question mark that remains is in midfield. Thiago Alcantara is expected to miss six weeks with a hamstring issue, and even with the Spain international there are fans who believe they need another body in the middle of the pitch.
With Henderson, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Jones also sidelined and Naby Keita having just returned, the burden on the likes of Fabinho has been paramount from the get go this season.
Mohamed Salah signing a new long-term contract at Liverpool ended some uncertainty
Klopp so far has remained firm in his stance though. ‘I understand the questions but if there were the right solution for us, we would have done it already. We are not stubborn.
‘If there would be the right player we would have done it but I don’t see it because we have had a lot of conversations already.’
That stance is unlikely to change but even if it is not through the transfer market, Klopp has to ensure that attitude is rectified and find a way of getting a tune out of his squad and return them to winning games from now on.
And he is making sure he keeps individual issues behind closed doors. Asked about Nunez’s red card on Monday, Klopp said: ‘He knows that now himself, I will talk to him. It makes no sense when I talk now too much about it in public.
‘It’s absolutely not the reaction you want to see from the challenge and the centre-halves in the Premier League they will do that to him. He’s a handful himself but that’s not the reaction.’
Darwin Nunez was bought in for £85m from Benfica to replace the outgoing Sadio Mane
Their next match is against Manchester United and the crisis Erik ten Hag and co are in could therefore be a blessing for their long-standing rivals. And the Red Devils cannot even boast about any sort of pride in wearing the shirt.
Meanwhile Klopp said after the 1-1 draw with Palace: ‘Honestly, the real feeling I have right now is I’m proud. Because during the week, everything went against us, it was crazy.
‘Then putting in such a performance, especially with the circumstances, I’m really proud.’
However, pride will do little if they cannot stem City extending the current four-point gap between them and eventually claw themselves back towards the top of the table.
A bristling Klopp knows they can no longer afford to play catch-up, and it adds another layer of intrigue in what is already set to be one of the most fascinating clashes between Liverpool and Man United in recent seasons.
Klopp knows his side can ill-afford any more slip-ups, even this early on, if they want to stop City from retaining their crown