Former Manchester City defender Richard Dunne has claimed that Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has taken his eye off the ball this season and isn’t having the same effect on his team as in previous years.
In his column in the Irish Independent, the 41-year-old said that the German needs to stop getting distracted by matters outside of his control and concentrate on getting results again, with the Reds failing to win their last three Premier League games.
Dunne wrote: ”Whether it’s intentional or not, the demeanour of a manager is reflected in his team. If the manager is happy and focused, his team will be the same. I looked at Jurgen Klopp last season, his positivity and energy, and I look at him now and see him fighting with people.”
The former Republic of Ireland international added that Klopp has looked ‘distracted’, citing his rants over substitutes and penalties awarded to Manchester United as traits not befitting his usual self.
Klopp’s side have certainly faced more problems this season than last as their injury-ravaged defence takes its toll on their Premier League title retention bid.
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Klopp has undoubtedly become a little prickly of late, but perhaps that is to be expected given what’s on his plate in terms of injuries within his squad.
However, this change in attitude may be a method of taking the pressure off his players and get people talking about him instead, which seems to be working if Dunne’s column is anything to go by.
