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Jurgen Klopp Told Thiago Alcantara Is To Blame For Liverpool's Goal Drought

Jurgen Klopp Told Thiago Alcantara Is To Blame For Liverpool's Goal Drought

Champions Liverpool have failed to score in their last three Premier League fixtures.

Josh Lawless

Josh Lawless

Thiago Alcantara is the primary reason for why Liverpool are not firing in attack at the moment.

That's the view of Reds legend John Barnes following on from the stalemate with Manchester United at Anfield yesterday.

Reigning champions Liverpool have gone three games without scoring in the Premier League in what is their longest run of this kind since 2005.

And while Barnes was impressed by summer signing Thiago in Sunday's 0-0 draw, he believes the former Bayern Munich and Barcelona man has slowed down Liverpool's transition from defence into attack and negated the threat of Sadio Mane and Mo Salah as a result.

Image: PA
Image: PA

"Thiago, who was running the game and was the best player in the first-half, I don't think that necessarily helped the front three," the 57-year-old told talkSPORT.

"With Henderson and Fabinho in midfield, they just get the ball forward and are much more direct for the three strong-running strikers to get on the ball and go on attack, Thiago slows the game down.

"When he slowed the game down in tight areas, that is not Mane's game, that is not Salah's game. So we're getting used to a new system, but at the moment it's not working."

After smashing in seven past Crystal Palace away from home on 19 December, Liverpool's only goal in their last four league outings has been in a 1-1 draw with West Bromwich Albion and they haven't won a single game.

Image: PA
Image: PA

Manager Jurgen Klopp can't quite pinpoint as to why his team are not finding the net of late.

"There is no easy explanation [for their recent lack of goals]. You always miss chances," he told Sky Sports post-match yesterday.

"You have to keep going and try to ignore the talk around it. Everyone wants to see goals. You cannot force it.

"It's football. These moments happen. You have moments where you can't explain why you score from all angles. Against Crystal Palace everything ended up in the net. It's a bit annoying in between these moments.

"I like the game. I saw a lot of really good individual performances and the team performance was good. Not the result we wanted, but the result we got."

Now fourth in the table following this weekend's results, Liverpool will be hoping to finally get back to winning ways when they host Burnley on Thursday evening.

Featured Image Credit:

Topics: Liverpool, John Barnes, Football News, Football, Jurgen Klopp, Thiago Alcantara

Josh is a sports journalist who specialises in football and wrestling. He has been published by Curzon Ashton FC, Late Tackle, Manchester City FC, The Mirror, Read Man City and Manchester Evening News. He provides coverage of professional wrestling and has interviewed some of the biggest names in the field - including the first UK interview with The Hardy Boyz after their return to WWE. He has never sported a pair of Lonsdale Slip-ons, contrary to reports.

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