Micah Richards thinks an error from Jurgen Klopp is adding to Liverpool’s “puzzling” season as they are lacking “cohesion”.
The Premier League club battled for four trophies in 2021/22 but they have suffered a major fall from grace this term.
Liverpool were knocked out of the Champions League, Carabao Cup and FA Cup in disappointing fashion and they are now focused on earning a place in the top four.
Their Champions League hopes were dealt a blow over the weekend as they lost 4-1 against Manchester City.
Klopp admitted post-match that
“We just had to follow as they did whatever they wanted. We were lucky they weren’t in a greedy mood,” Klopp said.
“About from that, there is nothing good to say about this game. This is a game we have to use unfortunately and make clear which things cannot happen. We can not have challenges in key areas or be that open. Now I stand here and have to explain it but I cannot explain it.
“I cannot change it now, here, I can just report what I saw and we will talk about it tomorrow. These things happened too often.”
Liverpool are expected to overhaul their squad this summer, with Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham and Chelsea’s Mason Mount among their targets.
Richards feels Klopp “has been too loyal” to some of his players in recent seasons.
‘What is going on with Liverpool? You will have to go a long way to find someone who has more respect for Jurgen Klopp than me, but I’m really puzzled by what I’m seeing from his team,’ Richards wrote for The Daily Mail.
‘Had they maintained last season’s momentum and consistency, to be in and around the title race, we would have been talking about them as one of the Premier League’s greatest ever sides.
‘All season I have thought, ‘Liverpool will turn up today’, but I can’t say that now. Your senses tell you when you turn up to watch them that you will see a quality side, but then the game starts and you can’t quite work out what is going on.
‘Klopp has been too loyal to some of the men who have been with him throughout and a little too slow in refreshing.’