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Jurgen Klopp: Liverpool form 'not perfect' but 'not a catastrophe'

Last updated on .From the section Liverpoolcomments648

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has described his side's form as "not perfect" but also said it is "not a catastrophe".

The champions are without a win in four Premier League games and without a goal in three - their worst run since 2015.

But Klopp has called for "calm" after a sequence that has resulted in a drop from the top of the table to fourth.

"I understand the need to talk all the time about it but we cannot change it in a minute," he said on Wednesday.

The Reds host Burnley on Thursday (20:00 GMT kick-off) and could go into that match as many as six points behind the league leaders.

Since thrashing Crystal Palace 7-0 on 19 December, Liverpool have drawn 1-1 at home with West Bromwich Albion and 0-0 away at Newcastle, been beaten 1-0 at Southampton and played out a stalemate with Manchester United at Anfield on Sunday.

The Reds have been weakened by injuries to key defenders this season - with first-choice centre-backs Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez out with long-term knee injuries - but they have also lost their spark in attack, scoring one goal from a combined 62 shots over those past four league matches.

"Someone has to be calm in this situation - it is not a catastrophe. It is not perfect but I saw a lot of good signs again in the Manchester United game. Because we didn't win, nobody was interested.

"We didn't score. That's it. That's all. It's just a job to do and that is what we are working on. We know we are not where we want to be.

"We just fight. People get unhappy with performances when results are not there.

"You can win the game with one lucky strike. We have to play our football to a high level. In the final third, we haven't."

Liverpool centre-back Joel Matip could be available for Thursday's game against Burnley after he returned to full training, but Klopp said forward Diogo Jota is still "a few weeks away" from returning from a knee injury.

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648 comments

  • Comment posted by PatrickLFC, at 15:15 20 Jan 2021

    No need to panic... It could be worse... Ask a Chelsea supporter :)

    • Reply posted by Grumpygit, at 15:16 20 Jan 2021

      Grumpygit replied:
      and your point is?

  • Comment posted by Nizam, at 15:39 20 Jan 2021

    A lot of talk is about the front 3 not being on form but no one cares to mention that when you take out your 2 1st choice MFs (Henderson, Fabinho) and play them as CBs, it's bound to have a huge negative impact on the strikers. Study the last few league games and you'll see that shots on target has dropped dramatically. It defies belief that we are not signing a CB, even on a short term basis.

    • Reply posted by Simple Simon Met A Pieman, at 15:59 20 Jan 2021

      Simple Simon Met A Pieman replied:
      I think you'll find it's because they aren't very good. Simple.

  • Comment posted by okokok, at 15:24 20 Jan 2021

    I'm a neutral on this. He was probably asked a question and gave what seems a reasonable response. He's basically saying it isn't ideal but not the end of the world. If their situation is desperate then there are whole load of clubs below them that are in a far worse state. I'm sure they would swap situations

    • Reply posted by JonnySmith, at 15:41 20 Jan 2021

      JonnySmith replied:
      Yes, it’s about direction of travel though and this Liverpool team are definitely in decline and nowhere near the high standards previously set.

  • Comment posted by RedSingh, at 15:50 20 Jan 2021

    Klopp and Pep have been very good for the Premiership. Raised managerial levels to a new high as well as the football. Not all talk but backed up by winning titles.

    • Reply posted by Andrew, at 17:14 20 Jan 2021

      Andrew replied:
      No need for the plural with Klopp

  • Comment posted by Chan The Man, at 15:15 20 Jan 2021

    From a neutral perspective this is some hell of a season

    • Reply posted by Discomfort, at 15:17 20 Jan 2021

      Discomfort replied:
      It's quite stressful if you aren't neutral

  • Comment posted by Dad, at 15:16 20 Jan 2021

    Could tap up a few more Southampton players...

    • Reply posted by Dads Account, at 15:50 20 Jan 2021

      Dads Account replied:
      Anyone for free there?

      According to their fans Liverpool never spend money.

  • Comment posted by Indefatigable Spirit, at 15:17 20 Jan 2021

    Seems to be a lack of confidence among the front 3. Once they start scoring again I'm sure Liverpool will start winning again. Should be an exciting 2nd half to the season, 4 maybe 5 teams still in the title race and possibly 10 teams with a realistic chance of a place in Europe. Far more exciting than recent seasons!

    • Reply posted by Dads Account, at 15:53 20 Jan 2021

      Dads Account replied:
      Yet they cry about injured "Defenders".

      Yes 4 maybe 5 teams in the title race; United, City, Leicester, Spurs and may be Villa.

  • Comment posted by ted77, at 15:42 20 Jan 2021

    In every post match interview Liverpool management and payers claim they 'deserved' to win. No one deserves it - earn it.

    • Reply posted by wchris1999, at 15:46 20 Jan 2021

      wchris1999 replied:
      well said that man!

  • Comment posted by Is Fred the next Iniesta, at 15:17 20 Jan 2021

    Liverpool in catastrophic crisis, I don’t think so.
    You should try being a Chelsea fan at the moment, I’m that cheesed off I’m close to breaking my dry January!!!!

    • Reply posted by Champ20ns, at 15:20 20 Jan 2021

      Champ20ns replied:
      If Sarri, Rafa or AVB was in charge, wouldn't the Chelski flag wavers be rioting from behind their computer screens by now?

  • Comment posted by Young Mr Grace, at 15:19 20 Jan 2021

    Bring on the "us" and the "we" fanboys.

    LOL - Didn't think we'd get a day off.

    If Liverpool are good enough they'll get back and win it, if they're not they wont.

    British Broadcasting Clickbait.

  • Comment posted by BBCBlogger, at 15:40 20 Jan 2021

    The biggest issue for me is Henderson being at the back with Fabinho. They are doing a good job there but I have said for may season - Henderson sets the tempo and makes us play, and Fabinho just brilliant and breaking stuff up.
    It's a big mis in the entre of the park

    • Reply posted by Wibble, at 17:11 20 Jan 2021

      Wibble replied:
      You may as well keep Henderson at the back. He never passes forward anyway

  • Comment posted by Modulox, at 15:32 20 Jan 2021

    The front 3 need to improve their decision making. The defence is doing its job despite ever changing personel. Midfield will improve with Thiago getting more minutes and more familiar with his team mates. With so much rest between the last couple of games, none of the players are fatigued. It's a confidence issue and they need to find a settled lineup in midfield to help the misfiring attack.

  • Comment posted by kelvinks, at 15:16 20 Jan 2021

    Jurgen should play Fabinho and Henderson In mIdfield and the two young boys in defence and get the team to sit deep in order to protect the young defenders. It will be easier to defend that way and it will give the front three more room to exploit the opposition. If we do not sort out our defence, we can say goodbye to the title because Man city have the momentum now.

    • Reply posted by Little Mickey, at 16:49 20 Jan 2021

      Little Mickey replied:
      Never ceases to amaze me how the average Joe believes solutions to problems are so easy. Play deep ? So TAA & robbo sit deep as well? Or do they carry on bombarding forward? But if they do can the opponents play split forwards and expose Phillips / Williams lack of pace? And what about the completely new training drills, tactics JK would have to implement as part of a new system? The list goes on

  • Comment posted by whatawaytogotoasix, at 15:11 20 Jan 2021

    sounds about right, so not really a story

  • Comment posted by ste, at 17:02 20 Jan 2021

    If you someone had told me 5 years ago, in 5 years time we would have won the league, champions league and world club championship and then the following season been 3 points adrift from the top..... I would have been delighted, get a grip everyone!

    • Reply posted by Brizey, at 17:05 20 Jan 2021

      Brizey replied:
      Here Here, well said 👍

  • Comment posted by Fella, at 16:08 20 Jan 2021

    Get Salah to pass to Mané and they might start winning again. It's staggering how many times he ignores him

  • Comment posted by Donks, at 15:24 20 Jan 2021

    DON’T PANIC, DON’T PANIC! It’s so tough being one of the top club sides in the world. Try life in League Two.

  • Comment posted by FootOfDavros, at 15:24 20 Jan 2021

    People talk about Van Dijk / Matip retuning helping Henderson, etc return to midfield but I don't think that's the issue.

    Possession stats still well up, no goals being shipped, etc. Think the issue is more Wijnaldum situation (i.e. leaving but getting played despite falling form) and probably some Salah / Mane issues brewing again. It's more a problem of focused motivation for results...

    • Reply posted by headsroll , at 16:56 20 Jan 2021

      headsroll replied:
      Wijnaldum falling form? What planet have you just come from? He has been a consistent reliable performer

  • Comment posted by Dolphin, at 15:13 20 Jan 2021

    Why this article now. 2 great games lined up tonight.

    • Reply posted by Whitsy, at 15:16 20 Jan 2021

      Whitsy replied:
      Because managers give a press conference the day before a match so this presumably is about all that came out of it that's interesting.

  • Comment posted by Chief Brody, at 17:07 20 Jan 2021

    Whatever team you support it’s shaping up to be an exciting title race. No run away leader...just a shame there aren’t any fans in the stadiums to watch it.

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