QUESTION TIME
Klopp vows to weather stormy spell with Reds
JURGEN KLOPP says he is a man for all seasons as he vowed to show he is not just here for the sunshine at Liverpool.
The dark clouds are circling his team at the moment after a nightmare start to the domestic season.
The Reds’ hopes of winning the Premier League title are in tatters while even qualifying for next season’s Champions League looks a mighty task already.
They have found some solace in Europe and are already into the last 16 ahead of tonight’s final group game with Napoli, where they would need a win by four goals to seal top spot. But the focus is on their league form, which has seen them lose back-to-back games against struggling Nottingham Forest and Leeds.
Klopp’s men are eight points off the top four and 15 behind leaders Arsenal.
It comes just months after they almost completed a Quadruple, ending up with the FA Cup and Carabao Cup in their trophy cabinet.
Klopp is in the critical spotlight for the first time as Reds manager. They have had struggles before, most notably in the Covid-hit season of 2020-21 when injuries wrecked their title defence. But now there have been some accusations Klopp may be jaded after seven years at Anfield.
Klopp, who signed a new contract in April to keep him at Anfield until 2026, does not agree, though. He said: “Everything will be judged on me now and that is absolutely fine and when people look at me they will say, ‘He looks tired’. That is normal. But I am not.
“My job is not only being here in the moment when the sun is shining and someone gives us a trophy.
“My job is also to be here when we are in a really rough period and I will do that, with all I have.”
Klopp admitted Leeds’ late winner on Saturday has been on his mind in the middle of the night.
The Liverpool boss is aware that with poor form comes tough questions.
He has been terse before but on the eve of the clash with Napoli, he was open about the situation, saying: “I used to say press conferences are like a holiday but I cannot say that any more because facing your questions when you lose is really tough.
“Again, that is part of the job. You can criticise, absolutely right. We have to work.”