Klopp still making progress at Anfield while

TWO questions were put to me on Off The Ball this week.

Have Liverpool improved under Jurgen Klopp since he took over from Brendan Rodgers?

And has Gareth Barry had a ‘great’ career? The answer to both is yes. The point Klopp’s critics and sceptics make is that a Rodgers team nearly won the Premier League title. Nearly.

But that is not the team Klopp inherited. The team that finished runners-up had Luis Suarez, Daniel Sturridge at the top of his game and a different but still very effective Steven Gerrard.

It is better than the current Liverpool side under Klopp because of one man, Suarez, who was signed by Kenny Dalglish. Sold to Barcelona, he has proved to be one of the best strikers in the world. Rodgers signed Christian Benteke.

Have Liverpool progressed from the unexciting team that Rodgers left behind? 100 per cent, yes. Are they good enough to challenge for the Premier League? No. And that comes back to the manager. I don’t expect Klopp to change the way he wants his team to play but they do not have the players, the goals, the defence and the keeper to compete with Manchester City. They may play the same way, but Pep Guardiola has a better squad.

Liverpool have not improved defensively since Jamie Carragher and Sami Hyypia’s partnership ended. There is no leader or organiser among Jordan Henderson, Emre Can, Dejan Lovren and Joel Matip.

Keeper Simon Mignolet might make three or four good saves in a game, but he does not take responsibility either. He still makes rash decisions.

So far this season, Liverpool have dominated games, including in the 5-0 defeat to Manchester City when it was 11 v 11. But they are missing far too many chances. It’s hard to see who will score goals.