Former Liverpool striker Stan Collymore has questioned what he sees as a free ride that will be given to Jurgen Klopp for the club’s performances this season.
Writing in his column for the Mirror, Collymore feels that Klopp is under no pressure from being sacked even if he doesn’t achieve a top four finish this season because of the spending power of Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea:
“The fascinating thing for me is that I don’t really know what would represent success for Klopp. Liverpool aren’t going to sack him if he fails to make the top four or land a trophy this season, so what exactly is being demanded of him?
“This certainly isn’t a pop at Klopp, because I’d imagine Guardiola would get the same from the Liverpool squad if he was in charge at Anfield. And if Klopp was at City, I’d expect him to win the title. But just saying, ‘He’s changing the way we’re playing to gegenpressing’ really doesn’t cut the mustard at a club of Liverpool’s size.”
The only blot on Klopp’s copybook so far this season has been Burnley away so whether or not Klopp will get a free ride by Reds fans isn’t something you can decide upon at the moment. If the Reds get 10 points from 15 after going away to Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea this season, it will be an unqualified success so Collymore’s assumption is basically that the Reds squad is not good enough to compete when in fact early season form suggests it will be, at least for a top four challenge.
