Former Liverpool and Tottenham, player turned pundit Graeme Souness has slammed Jurgen Klopp after Liverpool’s Premier League defeat to Leeds.
The Reds settled for a shocking defeat to less fancied Leeds in front of their home fans at Anfield.
Jurgen Klopp’s woes were worsened as Crysencio Summerville’s late winner for Leeds handed the Reds their fourth defeat of the season and their first home loss in 19 months.
The night started in disastrous fashion after Rodrigo pounced on a Joe Gomez mistake, before Mohamed Salah levelled the game.
Leeds keeper Illan Meslier pulled off several fine saves before Summerville netted in the 89th minute to win the game for Leeds.
Leeds’ Marsch’s side are now out of the bottom three with the win while Liverpool are occupying the ninth place.
In reaction to the 2-1 defeat at the hands of Leeds United, Graeme Souness slammed Liverpool for their poor performance.
Crysencio Summerville poked home late on to secure a memorable win for Jesse Marsch’s side.
And Souness, speaking after the game on Sky Sports insisted that the current Liverpool team is a shadow of their former selves.
He said: ‘Liverpool are a country mile from what they were in the last few years.
‘They don’t play with the same intensity. I think in many instances tonight, Leeds were more than a match for what Liverpool have been doing to teams for years.
‘Liverpool used to bully teams, their midfield bullied teams. And now they’re being bullied.
‘They still had enough chances to win the game, the man-of-the-match is a goalkeeper (Leeds stopper Meslier) – that does tell the story.
‘Liverpool are not like the team we have seen for the last five years. They just don’t have the same intensity. They don’t have it in their legs anymore.’
When trying to pinpoint what the particular problems were for Liverpool, Souness highlighted the lack of players in the midfield as most of Liverpool’s midfielders are currently approaching the end of their careers. Others midfielders at the club are still in their developmental stage of their careers.
That area of the pitch has been a particular talking point for Klopp who in the summer repeatedly announced he wouldn’t add in midfield, before making a late move for Arthur Melo – the Juventus loanee has played just 13 minutes of football and is now expected to be out until the new year.
Souness added: ‘I think when you look at the midfield. Thiago 31, Henderson 31, Fabinho 29. And after that you have Keita who is about 27, you have Oxlade-Chamberlain who is out and is injured at 29.
‘You have Curtis Jones who is 21 and the other young player who started tonight Harvey Elliot is 19.’
In his analysis, Souness attributed Liverpool’s inconsistency this season to the aging midfield of the club. He maintained that Liverpool’s midfield is not a winning midfield.
According to him, there are fitness issues and an increased chance of injuries given the age of the players.
Also, after the dismal defeat for Liverpool, Souness was full of praise for Jesse Marsch’s side following their memorable win.
Graeme Souness stated that the visitors deserved the win at Anfield due to how they approached the game.
He said the Marsch-led squad never played as a young and less-advantaged team as they took the game to their host with perfect moves, character and optimism.
Despite scoring a lucky first goal, Graeme Souness said Leeds deserved their win because they played with impeccable character against their intimidating opponents.
‘They played like a team that really believed in what they were gonna do, believed they would get a result. You could say a lucky first goal but that’s not the reason Liverpool lost the game,’ he said.
Liverpool have struggled this season, with Jurgen Klopp obviously losing the battle for a title challenge.
Top four hopes for the Reds is also less likely, and Klopp will certainly come under pressure if Liverpool’s abysmal run continues.
