Jurgen Klopp accepts blame for Liverpool’s FA Cup defeat

Jurgen Klopp has accepted responsibility for Liverpool’s stunning FA Cup fourth-round exit.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, left, with Wolverhampton manager Paul Lambert before Lambert’s side knocked the Reds out of the FA Cup.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp accepted responsibility for his team’s stunning FA Cup fourth-round exit as Championship club Wolverhampton Wanderers earned a shock 2-1 win at Anfield.

Klopp’s line-up featured three teenagers and right back Connor Randall starting his first game of the season, a selection that resulted in a third consecutive home defeat in the space of eight days.

A home loss to Swansea all but ended Liverpool’s hopes of catching Premier League leaders Chelsea, while Southampton won at Anfield in the League Cup semi-finals in midweek.

Liverpool face Chelsea in the Premier League tomorrow, and fixture congestion goes some way to explaining why Klopp chose such a weakened line-up against Wolves.

But the Reds boss was criticised by pundits, including England legend Gary Lineker and Liverpool great Mark Lawrenson, for his team selection and he accepted the blame.

“I’m responsible, I feel responsible for this performance,” Klopp said. “I thought we could do better and obviously we couldn’t. I have to think about this, learn about situations, players and all games. It was an important game for us and we couldn’t deliver.

“I was asked if it is the low point of my Liverpool time until now and I don’t know if it is.

“But if it is, it’s a perfect point to turn around because it is not possible to go lower. It is absolutely right that it feels bad.

“I don’t feel that the players let me down. I am responsible for the line-up. I saw them training and I thought that is the line-up. I am responsible for the bad things. We could have played better. Each boy could have played better. For each single performance there is an explanation.”

Lineker was particularly damning of Klopp’s approach to the FA Cup, a competition Liverpool have won seven times in their illustrious history.

“Don’t get Klopp playing his reserves with no European football,” Lineker said via Twitter. “Shows a lack of knowledge of the depth in English football and respect.”

Liverpool’s hopes of winning silverware this season are in tatters. But Klopp refused to be critical of any of his youngsters, or the handful of senior players in the side. “We played a Championship team at Derby in the (League) cup and they had not a percentage of a chance. That is not years ago,” Klopp said.

Richard Stearman headed Wolverhampton in front inside the opening minute before Andreas Weimann doubled Wolves’ lead before the interval.

Not until the 86th minute could Liverpool finally break down Wolves’ resilient defence, through Divock Origi, although the home side was unable to end their manager Paul Lambert’s record of never having lost at Anfield, as player or manager.

“I’ve never been beaten here — that’s with Celtic, Villa, Norwich — but that one is the best,” Lambert said. “That surpasses everything because of the gulf in leagues, the gulf in players. But what we’ve got is incredible team spirit and really good young players.”

AFP