Jurgen Klopp believes Liverpool are not playing as a team at the moment following their chastening 4-1 defeat to Napoli in the Champions League – and has urged his side to “reinvent” themselves quickly.
The Reds got their Champions League group stage campaign off to the worst possible start in southern Italy, with last season’s runners-up finding themselves 3-0 down at half-time due to Piotr Zielinski’s penalty and goals from Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Giovanni Simeone.
That three-goal margin could have been four had Alisson Becker not saved Victor Osimhen’s first-half penalty – but Napoli found that fourth goal immediately after half-time as Zielinski tapped home. Luis Diaz’s consolation goal could only spark a small revival.
Klopp’s Liverpool have now only won two out of their seven matches in all competitions this season and the German believes his team needs to be better in “pretty much everything”.
Mohamed Salah, left and Harvey Elliott react during Liverpool’s loss at Napoli
“It was really tough to take but I would say not that difficult to explain,” Klopp told BT Sport. “Firstly, Napoli played really well and we didn’t. That is the first explanation for the defeat. The two penalties we concede, they were both a little unlucky.
“The next two goals we concede are handed to them on a plate. That is not cool and we should have defended better in the first place and, of course, in the last moment as well.
“We were not compact defensively or offensively. With Alisson in goal you have to be really bad to concede three goals [in the first half]. You could see it on the pitch. We were not working as a team. That is why we lose games.”
Liverpool’s next match sees them take on Wolves in the Premier League on Saturday and Klopp believes Bruno Lage’s side should be “laughing” at the prospect of playing his side.
Napoli’s Piotr Zielinski, left, scores his side’s fourth goal past Liverpool’s goalkeeper Alisson
“We need to reinvent ourselves,” the Reds boss added. “There are a lot of things lacking, not in all games but the fun thing is we have to do it in the middle of the Premier League season and a Champions League campaign. We need a set-up to be better in pretty much everything.”
“We have to play in three days against Wolves. If Wolves saw that game tonight they would not stop laughing and would say it is the perfect moment.”
Klopp: I won’t get sack like Tuchel – our owners are calm
Jurgen Klopp watches on as his Liverpool side are beaten 4-1 at Napoli
The Liverpool manager also reacted to Thomas Tuchel’s sacking by Chelsea on Wednesday night, with the Blues one point ahead of Klopp’s team in the Premier League.
Klopp admitted that he is not expecting to be under pressure in the same way Tuchel was – despite Chelsea and Liverpool enduring similar starts to the season – and says he has the full backing of the Reds hierarchy.
When asked if he is worried about his own future after Tuchel’s dismissal earlier on Wednesday, Klopp said: “Not really, but who knows?
“The difference is they [Chelsea’s owners] are different kind of owners. Our owners are rather calm and expect me to sort the situation and are not thinking that someone else should sort it.”