Liverpool may have worked their way back into the Champions League under Jurgen Klopp last season, but a poor start to the current campaign, both domestically and on the continent has left the Reds and their manager under pressure. And Alan Shearer isn't convinced Klopp has improved the Anfield club in the two years he's been at the helm since taking over from Brendan Rodgers, in 2015.
Liverpool have won just three of their opening seven league games and currently sit in seventh place in the Premier league table, one place behind Burnley, who came away from Anfield with a draw, last month.
The Champions League has seen Klopp's men fare no better, with Sevilla and Spartak Moscow both taking points off the Reds in their opening two games. Meanwhile, Leicester City dumped Liverpool out of the League Cup, two weeks ago.
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With four transfer windows under his belt since taking over from Rodgers, Klopp has added plenty of attacking flair to Liverpool's squad, with the likes of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane being well received at Anfield, yet the former Borussia Dortmund boss is still yet to put together a defence that isn't about as trustworthy as a 40 year old condom, or buy a reliable goalkeeper behind them.
Klopp has not enjoyed a good start to the new season, with Liverpool lying in seventh place in the Premier League table after seven games. Images: PA
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And Shearer doesn't see how Klopp has improved Liverpool since arriving on Merseyside, writing in his column in The Sun, "Too much under Klopp seems to be based on that call for passion and excitement but the way they play isn't going to win them the league.
"Defeat [on Sunday] will leave them ten points behind Jose Mourinho's men and effectively end Liverpool's title challenge before the clocks have changed.
"Not so now of course. It says everything about how far Liverpool have fallen that Kenny Dalglish had to come back as a manager to give them their only trophy in the last 11 years - the 2012 League Cup.
"They are a club who have lost none of the passion and rich history which sets them aside in this country from all bar Manchester United.
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"It is two years since Jurgen Klopp took charge with Liverpool lying tenth after eight games of the 2015-16 season.
"Today they sit seventh after seven games - hardly giant strides. Two cup finals, both of which they lost, and a return to the Champions League can be put on Klopp's CV.
A familiar sight for Liverpool fans, so far, this season. Image: PA
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"But really they have not improved since the day he took over.
"He has a win rate of 49.5 per cent, which is less than Brendan Rodgers and also less than David Moyes when United sacked him."
What do you make of Shearer's comments? Do you agree with the Newcastle United and Blackburn Rovers legend or is he being too harsh on Jurgen Klopp and his team?
Have your say in the comments section below and on our Facebook page.
Featured Image Credit: PATopics: Football, Alan Shearer, Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool FC