Klopp defends his slack attack

JURGEN KLOPP admits fixing Liverpool’s defence has cost them some of their midfield creativity.

The Anfield outfit have scored 35 goals this season compared to 50 this time 12 months ago and Klopp says this is partly down to him telling his midfield to defend more.

He has tightened up the Reds backline and their tally of just five goals conceded is the joint best in the Premier League.

But a frustrated Klopp feels he cannot win in the eyes of his critics.

He said: “When everything is brilliant and we score goals, you always ask about defending and how can we 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’s logical.

“Now, when we fix that, I can’t say in the first moment to the boys, ‘But that’s not enough offensively’. That would be crazy.”

The Kop boss insists he is happy with his midfield, despite their poor displays away in the Champions League.

And Klopp bristled at suggestions they are missing the injured Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

He added: “Bringing one player in would change everything?

“That’s bull***t and you know that. We have the players for it.”