Former Liverpool player and manager Graeme Souness has criticized Jurgen Klopp and his team for faltering under pressure in the final stages of the 2023-24 campaign, urging them to reflect on their performances.
Liverpool Likely To Finish Jurgen Klopp’s Final Season With Only Carabao Cup
Liverpool, who have won the English title 19 times, were in a strong position in March. They were contenders for the Premier League title, in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, and had advanced to the last eight of the UEFA Europa League. Despite already lifting the Carabao Cup by defeating Chelsea in February, Klopp’s team’s season took a turn for the worse.
On March 17, they were eliminated from the FA Cup after a 4-3 loss to Manchester United. This was followed by a 2-2 draw with the Red Devils in the Premier League on April 7, and a 3-0 defeat against Atalanta in the UEFA Europa League quarter-final first leg at Anfield. While they managed to win the return leg 1-0, it was not enough to progress. In the Premier League, they have played four matches since the draw with Manchester United, resulting in two losses, one draw, and one win.
Graeme Souness Slams Reds For Spectacular Collapse
Souness, who previously managed Liverpool from 1991 to 1994, expressed his disappointment with the performance of the six-time European champions. Speaking at the Every Minute Matters campaign launch, Souness expected more from Liverpool and criticized their inability to compete for the Premier League title.
He stated:
“It’s a disappointing end to the season for Liverpool. I thought they would win the Premier League. They were playing a brand of football where they didn’t have to play well to win games because there was so much firepower in the team.
“That’s gone in the last couple of months, and they’ve gone from a team that could score for fun to a team that can’t score. They’ve got to look at themselves. At the time that really mattered, they couldn’t deal with that pressure for whatever reason.”
As it stands, Klopp’s team currently occupies third place in the Premier League standings, trailing provisional leaders Arsenal by five points with three games remaining in the season. Manchester City, in second place, are still the favorites to win the title, as they can secure the championship with a victory in their game in hand over Arsenal.
