Michael Owen gives theory behind Liverpool injury problems and makes backroom staff loss claim

Michael Owen believes some of Liverpool’s injury problems may be ‘self-inflicted’ - and they’ll improve when they again have a busy fixture schedule.

The Reds suffered a sobering 4-1 loss to Napoli in their opening Champions League Group A fixture on Wednesday night.

It came after Jurgen Klopp’s side’s stuttering start to the Premier League campaign, having picked up only nine points from a possible 18 in their opening six matches.

Liverpool have been plagued by early-season injury issues. As things stand, eight first-team players are on the treatment table while Thiago Alcantara and Diogo Jota have only recently returned to fitness.

The Reds are back in action when they welcome Wolves to Anfield on Saturday before facing Ajax in the Champions League three days later.

And Owen, speaking to BT Sport, believes that could be the tonic needed for Klopp’s troops to turn around their fortunes.

He said: “It’s a familiar pattern in a way. Whenever Liverpool have a game at weekends but no mid-week games, there seem to be a lot of injuries in training.

“It happened a while ago as well. Liverpool are at their best when they’re playing two games a week - when they’re recovering, playing again, recovering, playing.

“They get into a rhythm like that. When they play once a week, I’m not sure.

“I know one or two members of staff have been let go from the sports science side.

“There have been an awful lot of injuries on the training ground - almost self-inflicted.

“But it’s two games a week from now and Liverpool will probably suit that”.