Reds on right track insists coach Klopp
Jurgen Klopp is convinced that Liverpool are a stronger team now than they were a year ago, but the next week promises to test that theory to the limit.
Klopp’s side, second in the Premier League, face a trip to seventhplaced Watford on Saturday, followed by a critical Champions League visit to Paris Saint-Germain and a Merseyside derby at home to neighbours Everton.
By the end of that run of fixtures, it will be a little clearer as to whether Liverpool have what it takes to maintain a challenge for domestic and European titles this season.
“There’s absolutely no reason for criticising the boys. They do a really good job,” said Liverpool manager Klopp.
“So many things are better than last year. Defending is better, setpieces are better; we are much more mature in games, game management is better.”
Back in September, former Manchester United and England defender Gary Neville, now a television pundit, suggested Klopp’s team would not be able to juggle European and domestic demands, and should therefore treat the Champions League lightly.
Liverpool’s manager responded waspishly, suggesting that managing a club was significantly different from “sitting in an office and talking about football”.
However, proving Neville wrong is something of a struggle for Klopp at present, with the club’s Champions League progress plunged into doubt by away defeats against Napoli and Red Star Belgrade in the group stage.
Defeat in Paris on Wednesday will leave Liverpool – Champions League finalists in May – in danger
There’s absolutely no reason for criticising the boys. They do a really good job
of going out, although a win would see them through to the knockout stages with a game to spare.
Liverpool’s squad looks stronger than it did last season, and they have eight more Premier League points than at this stage of the campaign 12 months ago.
But few would claim they are playing as fluently as they did in their best periods in 2017-18.
“We can improve, we have to and we will,” said Klopp.
“There has been a lot of improvement so far and there is still space for further improvement. But a very intense period is coming up now.” —AFP