Klopp defends his under-fire midfield

JURGEN KLOPP launched an impassioned defence of his underfire Liverpool midfield yesterday, as questions over his side’s lack of attacking fluency persist, WRITES MARK CRITCHLEY.

Liverpool will look to maintain their best-ever start to a Premier League season at Anfield tomorrow in the 232nd Merseyside derby.

Yet despite being just two points behind pace-setters Manchester City and solving long-standing defensive issues, Klopp has regularly faced questions regarding a perceived lack of attacking spark.

Liverpool have rarely played with the fluency of last season, while Klopp’s midfield has been particularly criticised for failing to link play with the forward line.

Jordan Henderson, James Milner and Georginio Wijnaldum all came under scrutiny after Wednesday’s 2-1 defeat to Paris St-Germain put their Champions League hopes in doubt.

“We’ve conceded five goals and you talk about our midfield is ‘over-run’? Sorry, I didn’t see that,” Klopp said. “We could’ve score more goals but no I don’t see any problems in midfield.

“To be honest, for me it is quite strange,” Klopp added. “When everything is brilliant and we score goals you always ask about defending and how we can fix that. We fixed that, kind of, and it always happens that the first step is it costs you a bit of fluency and creativity.

“That is a completely normal thing. If someone would think about it they would see it is clear, it is logical.” (© Independent News Service)