There was once a time that Jurgen Klopp could do no wrong, the Liverpool manager seen as the benchmark in the Premier League to whom others needed to aspire.
However, the atypical nature of the 2020/21 campaign has brought out a different side to the German’s character that’s starting to grate.
No longer the happy, charismatic and charming manager we’ve come to know and love, Klopp has become a tetchy and angry individual who is looking to blame anything and everything for the reasons why his Reds outfit are seemingly underperforming this season.
Chris Sutton, for one, has had enough of it.
“This season Jurgen Klopp hasn’t come across as that cool character who isn’t fazed by whatever is thrown at him. Instead, he’s become more of a complainer,” he wrote in his Daily Mail column.
“From 12.30pm kick-offs, to three-versus-five substitutes, to how many penalties Manchester United are awarded compared to Liverpool — he’s targeted it all.
“Aggravation is there whenever he speaks. He’s gone from Mr Motivator to Mr Moaner. And yet, they remain top of the Premier League.”
It’s an interesting take and hints at how much Klopp has become rattled of late. His epic TV interview with BT Sports’ Des Kelly is the prime example of a change in attitude.
Liverpool clearly need to start winning soon in any event, with the manager better served by getting his head down and coming up with solutions rather than this ‘us against the world’ mentality.
It’s easy for Sutton to say but a look at the fact make Klopp more than justified!! if all of Liverpool’s VAR decisions had been done consistently with those of utd Liverpool would have in excess of 40 points. If utds had been consistent with Liverpool’s they would have considerably less than 30. Justified then?