Hammann citicises Klopp for rigid approach

Former Liverpool defender Dietmar Hammann has criticised Jurgen Klopp for being too focused on the physical side of the team and has pointed out that ‘you cannot outrun teams in the Premier League’.

Liverpool have only won one game in a disastrous 2017 as Klopp is struggling to make his stamp in English football so far.

“The physicality and intensity is much higher in England than anywhere Jurgen Klopp has been before. You cannot outrun teams in the Premier League, full stop.” he told Paddy Power.

“That’s something the players and the manager have to learn, because they can only play one way. You need to be flexible, variable and overall you must have two or three answers to the questions in this league will ask you.

“At this moment in time, Liverpool under Klopp are one-dimensional, that’s why they find it hard to win when things aren’t going their way.”

Liverpool will host fourth-place rivals Arsenal on Saturday as both team go into the game with no points to spare. Arsene Wenger’s men have suffered a devastating defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League and will be looking to bounce back with a win before they meet the Germans again mid-next-week.

Hammann added: “If Liverpool lose to Arsenal, it will be very hard for them to get back in the Champions League race. Arsenal, on the other hand, still have a chance to qualify even if they get beaten.

“Neither side can afford to drop points because if you look at the teams around Liverpool and Arsenal – Chelsea, Man City and even United – the worrying thing that those clubs seem to be coming into form at the right time.

“If you find yourself five or six points behind those teams, it’s going to be very hard to make up the difference.”

Klopp confirmed on Tuesday that Johan Henderson will miss the game due to a foot injury in training while Wenger will be without Santi Cazorla who is out with long-term injury.