GIVE IT A SHOT

Klopp tells misfiring front three: ‘You just have to go, go again’

JURGEN KLOPP has told his strikers they must continue to believe in themselves – despite a slump in form that threatens their Champions League hopes.

Liverpool face a seasondefining showdown at Old Trafford on Sunday, in a makeor-break game where anything less than victory would severely damage their top-four hopes.

And they do so on the back of some truly horrific displays in front of goal, which has seen the club’s star forward line of Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino, and Mo Salah (left to right, above) suffer a collective crisis of confidence.

The Reds were knocked out of the

Champions League because they could not convert their many opportunities against Real Madrid, and in the past week they threw away a lead in the final minutes against Leeds and Newcastle after again spurning chances.

But boss Klopp said the only thing now is for his side to “go for it” given they have nothing left to lose.

“I see it, you see the same, in these moments we miss chances,” he said. “At the moment it feels really close to being unacceptable, but we have to accept it anyway.

“When you miss chances, that’s just information... a missed chance is just a piece of information.

“It means you were in the right space, you could cause them problems, so do it again.

“If you need a little adaptation then do it, but get there again in the right situation. No drop off in body language is allowed – you just have to go, go again.”

Liverpool’s form in front of goal has been awful. Since the start of 2021, they have had 146 shots at Anfield, and scored just four times, a conversion rate of 2.47 per cent which is the lowest in the top flight in that period.

This is the same strike force which was widely regarded as the best in the world only a year ago. But Klopp maintains all forwards go through such spells – the trick is to keeping fighting.

“(I’ve been more than) 20 years in the business, and these phases, you always have them,” he added. “We are very critical because we know the only people to blame for that is us.”

Klopp had some good news yesterday, as defender Joel Matip returned to running on the grass at the club’s Kirkby complex as part of his rehab. But he will focus on his fitness for next season after an injury-hit campaign.