Jurgen Klopp has suggested the problem behind Liverpool’s poor form away to the ‘big six’ is very simple, stating the top teams are just “really good”.
Liverpool have only managed to win one of their last 12 games on their travels to the Premier League’s ‘top six’. Their most recent victory came last September when the Reds went down to Wembley to take on Tottenham and came away 2-1 winners.
Prior to that, you’d have to go all the way back to September 2016, when the Reds came out victorious at Stamford Bridge thanks to goals from Dejan Lovren and a goal of the season contender from Jordan Henderson.
Speaking to the media in Friday’s press conference, Klopp said:
I’m not sure when it was, maybe it was 2016, when we won against pretty much all of the top six, and had all the other problems. That’s how life is!
We are much more successful winning all the other games and having some results [against the top six]. [Drawing six and losing five] is still a positive statistic, actually.
Klopp seemed unfazed by the record and he suggested the quality of the bigger clubs makes it very hard for them to beat.
These Liverpool fans have taken to Twitter to express their opinions on Klopp’s record and whether or not it’s something to worry about.
Klopp on winning just 1 of last 12 games vs. top six sides away from home:
"Because they're really good, that could be a reason."
— This Is Anfield (@thisisanfield) September 20, 2019
https://twitter.com/sean3648/status/1174983426702594051?s=20
How many did we lose that’s the question because for me a draw away to any of these is a good result
— db (@DomBarnes2) September 20, 2019
https://twitter.com/chris_haxby/status/1174974915323105280?s=20
Read Liverpool Verdict
I don’t believe the record away to the top six is a problem, Liverpool racked up a club-record 97 points last season, losing just once along the way.
It is worth noting that Liverpool have changed much of their side from the 2017/18 season. For example, the 5-0 defeat against Manchester City back in 2017 came before the arrivals of Alisson and Virgil van Dijk.
It’s not their record against the big teams that could be a cause for concern, but the games against the likes of Leicester and West Ham, which could have been the difference between first and second last season.
Sunday’s game will be a perfect chance for Klopp to rectify his record and against an inexperienced Chelsea side, he’ll be looking to do just that.
