Jurgen Klopp tells Liverpool critics: 'Have the balls and go for me'
Jurgen Klopp has told his critics to direct their fury at Liverpool's recent torrid run of form at him and not his backroom staff.
The Reds are currently in 10th place in the Premier League, having yet to win a league game during 2023 thus far, and are 22 points behind league leaders Arsenal, 12 points behind Newcastle in the fourth and final Champions League qualification spot, and six behind Brighton in sixth.
Comprehensive defeats at Brighton and Brentford, as well as an exit to the former in the FA Cup, has compounded Liverpool's misery, and the pressure is set to intensify ahead of a potentially season-defining Merseyside derby clash with Everton on Monday evening.
Speaking to the media ahead of the game, Klopp addressed the criticism that has been directed towards the club in recent weeks and stated there's only one person that should be targeted - him.
“I just don't like it if you go for the wrong people. Go for me. That is fine. But don't go for others," the German said.
"They are here because they are best in class in what they are doing. That's all. If you praise them in the good times, then criticise them in the bad times. But if you don’t praise them in the good times, then don’t do it in the lesser good times. Have the balls and go for me, then the confrontation can happen, of course.”
Klopp's Liverpool will face a buoyant Everton side galvanised by their victory over Arsenal in Sean Dyche's first game in charge, though they still sit in the relegation zone after a pretty ordinary first half of the season.
The former Burnley boss said of the game: “There’s plenty of belief in what we do but it’s important to take action. When the whistle blows you’ve got to take action, and you’ve got to perform."
Simon Hooper will officiate the game at Anfield in what will be his first Merseyside derby outing.