JURGEN KLOPP admits his six Liverpool trophies have saved him from the sack.
The under-fire Kop boss says he is still an elite manager but before today’s FA Cup clash at Brighton, he:
- Warned his team may never again reach previous heights.
- Apologised for their woeful form.
- Blamed the demise on the Reds’ appalling injury list.
The German said: “I didn’t become a bad manager overnight. I was never as good as people probably said or not as bad as some people might think.”
Klopp’s former European and Premier League champs have lost eight games this season — double the amount of last term — and are ninth, 21 points behind leaders Arsenal.
Liverpool won the domestic cup double last season, were pipped to the title by Manchester City and the Champions League by Real Madrid in the final.
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Klopp added: “Imagine if you were here talking to another coach of Liverpool because last season we’d won all four trophies and I said, ‘See you later, holiday!’
“Imagine if you see a different face and he has to explain these things and he tells you how it is. Nobody would listen!
“They’d say last season was great and this year is not great — so go!
“You have to have wide shoulders and really just take it.
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“It’s tough, I’m sorry. But we will go for it with all we have to get out of it and play in a way people can’t wait to go to the stadium again.
“So far, we’ve not given the fans much this season but we are still in two cup competitions and won’t give up in the league.”
Klopp’s Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup, Uefa Super Cup and Fifa Club World Cup has secured the backing of the club’s American owners.
And with Arsenal, Manchester United and Newcastle on the up, the 55-year-old said: “What happened in the league with City and us in the last few years was exceptional.
“Arsenal are sensational. Mikel Arteta is doing an outstanding job. United are in a really good moment, whatever happens there they will not stop investing and improving.
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“If City do not win the league, Pep will not accept this kind of situation for a couple of years. They will go again. Tottenham, Newcastle and Brighton are doing really well.”
James Milner, Fabio Carvalho and Nat Phillips are doubts today with Virgil van Dijk and Roberto Firmino injured. And with Luis Diaz, Arthur and Diogo Jota also out long term.
Klopp said: “Injuries to decisive players have made it a bad season so far and you cannot just replace them.”
