Jurgen Klopp’s tenure at Liverpool, spanning nearly nine years, has been marked by numerous high points. However, a recent setback has cast a shadow over his final weeks at Anfield, leaving the team with diminishing prospects for the season.
For the first time in his nine trips to Goodison Park, Klopp experienced defeat in the Merseyside derby—a 2-0 loss to Everton—that shattered Liverpool’s hopes of celebrating his departure with a Premier League championship.
A Season Off Track
Only weeks earlier, Liverpool seemed poised for an unprecedented quadruple victory. Yet, their recent performance has drastically veered off course. With only four victories in their last nine matches, Klopp’s squad has been eliminated from the Europa League and FA Cup and has lost ground in the Premier League race.
Liverpool currently sits three points behind league leaders Arsenal and narrowly one point ahead of the reigning champions, Manchester City, who also have two games in hand.
The Decline of “Mentality Monsters”
Earlier in the season, Liverpool’s ability to recover from early deficits earned them the nickname “mentality monsters.” They had gained 27 points from losing positions in the Premier League this season alone. However, recent unexpected losses to Crystal Palace and Everton have seen their fortune dwindle.
In total, Liverpool has conceded the opening goal 22 times across all competitions this season, and they were notably sluggish from the start against Everton. Despite several missed opportunities by Everton and a penalty reversed by VAR, Liverpool could not recover after Jarrad Branthwaite’s 27th-minute goal.
Struggles in Attack
Liverpool’s attacking line has also faltered at a critical time. They have not scored from open play in four of their last five matches. Mohamed Salah, usually a key player, has been underperforming since sustaining a hamstring injury at the Africa Cup of Nations. Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez have missed crucial opportunities, and Diogo Jota, known as one of the most reliable finishers, has been sidelined again due to injury.
“You can see we are in a rush in front of goal,” Klopp remarked. “We create a lot but we don’t score often enough. It’s not a problem of attitude, the boys want it but it is my job to bring them into a situation where they feel confident to do it.”
Fatigue and Future Prospects
Liverpool’s quest for multiple trophies might now be impacting their stamina, with the team appearing to run out of energy. They have played 54 games this season and have four more to go. Despite the emergence of several academy graduates who stepped up during an injury crisis and helped secure the League Cup in February, the fatigue is palpable among key players.
Following the Palace game, Klopp acknowledged the strain on players like Alexis Mac Allister and Wataru Endo, who have carried a heavy load throughout the season.
“Players who played all the games are less fresh but it is the same for the other teams. I don’t want that to be an excuse,” Klopp added. “A lot of things come together so it is not great timing. I would prefer to be sitting here winning 4-0 and flying but the job is to win football games and the more you win, the more successful you are.”
As Klopp’s final weeks at Liverpool approach, the team is compelled to navigate through these challenges, striving to conclude the season on as high a note as possible, despite the dwindling prospects.
