Liverpool have enjoyed great success under Jurgen Klopp, but following a hugely disappointing defeat at the weekend, he did not hold back, calling it the worst performance of his Liverpool career so far.
Having arrived in 2015, he built the Reds up from a team who struggled to be in the top four, to a team who went on to win every trophy available to them.
However, the ride hasn’t always been easy. This was no overnight success story and on the way they suffered some painful defeats mixed in with the incredible highs.
Here’s five losses that stand out from the rest.
1. Brighton 3-0 Liverpool - 14th January 2023
This was the game that Jurgen Klopp called ‘the worst of his Liverpool career’ so far, and, to be fair, he wasn’t far off. Liverpool were picked apart by a Brighton side in brilliant form, but the lack of fight, quality and overall lack of structure was alarming. A brace from Solly March and a late third from Danny Welbeck compounded an awful afternoon on the South Coast for Klopp’s men.
2. Aston Villa 7-2 Liverpool - 4th October 2020
Well, who saw this one coming? Back during the COVID-19 pandemic, Liverpool were ruthlessly torn apart by Dean Smith’s side at Villa Park, conceding seven times. We couldn’t believe what we were seeing and it was made all the more freakish due to the fact Liverpool were defending Premier League champions.
3. Manchester City 5-0 Liverpool - 9th September 2017
In the season where City became the first team in Premier League history to reach 100 points, Liverpool were one of their many victims, and they felt the full force of Pep Guardiola’s side early on in the season. An early red card for Sadio Mane left Liverpool exposed and City made them pay with goals from Sergio Aguero, Gabriel Jesus and Leroy Sane in what was a dismal afternoon at the Etihad Stadium.
4. Tottenham Hotspur 4-1 Liverpool - 22nd October 2017
Before Liverpool emerged as title challengers, early on in the 2017/18 season they came unstuck at the back as Harry Kane dominated Dejan Lovern and Joel Matip, months before Virgil van Dijk was signed in the January transfer window. This game showed Liverpool had a lot of ground to make up to become title contenders and it’s a prime example of how Klopp gradually built this team over time to secure the successes they went onto achieve.