Barnes explains why it would be ‘harsh to criticise Klopp’ despite Liverpool sitting tenth in the Prem

John Barnes thinks it would be “harsh to criticise” Jurgen Klopp despite Liverpool currently sitting tenth in the Premier League.

There are many reasons why Liverpool have had a terrible season so far with many blaming the departure of Sadio Mane to Bayern Munich or the lack of depth and quality in central midfield.

Injuries have been a big problem too and that is why former Liverpool star Barnes reckons “bad luck” is to blame for their problems as much as anything else.

Barnes told BonusCodeBets: “I don’t know why Jurgen Klopp has been criticised more instead of anybody else. If we look at the injuries we have had, I think it’s a bit harsh to criticise Klopp.

“Liverpool has been very unfortunate with all the injuries, especially in the midfield.

“So it has been bad luck and Liverpool has been in a bad period but Klopp knows what he is doing and everything is behind him.”

Barnes insists that everyone must take some of the blame for the mid-table position Liverpool find themselves in.

The former Liverpool and England man added: “But of course, he is the manager and he has had a lot of success previously so he will be a target for criticism.

“But the reality is that everyone (at Liverpool) has to take a part of the blame.”

On older players at Liverpool, Barnes added: “Liverpool needed a change because we had a lot of players between 29 and 31 years old. Maybe Liverpool could have kept them for another year but the problem had to be addressed.

“It should be done sooner or later and it’s best to go into a transition period after a successful period so you know that you have the support from the fans. In that way you will have the credit from the fans because of the previous success.

“If we had kept them for another year the problems would have shown in the season after that. Liverpool needed to bring young players for the future.”

Liverpool lost their last match 3-0 to Wolves and Klopp insists it made sense to give his players two days off in the aftermath of the defeat.

“In Germany this question would have come much earlier: ‘How can you give them two days off in the situation you are in?’,” Klopp said.

“You can – but it is not beneficial – to train every day. We played bad at Wolverhampton, next day we came in, made the analysis and spoke to each other and then gave them two days off because it is a very long time between Saturday and Monday (the following week).

“But of course I could have said ‘Sunday training, recovery’ and from Monday on we go for them (Everton).

“It wouldn’t have been helpful at all. It would have been bad, it would have caused injuries, it would have caused a lot of problems.

“To be honest on Sunday after we spoke about everything I thought 100 per cent it makes sense that we don’t see each other for two days.

“And it was helpful. I left on Sunday in an average mood and I came back in a good mood.

“I worked through it. I had a lot of phone calls but I was in a much better mood, a completely different mood to be honest, and that is why it was very helpful and yesterday we benefited from it.”

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