‘If anyone wants to tell us we made a mistake – I think Carragher mentioned already – there are a few reasons why they don’t do this job’: Jurgen Klopp hits out at Liverpool legend for criticism of recruitment – before pundit responds on Twitter
- Liverpool are expected to be without Virgil van Dijk for the rest of the season
- The Dutchman suffered anterior cruciate ligament damage against Everton
- Jamie Carragher believes Liverpool are now a man light in the centre back role
- But Jurgen Klopp has claimed he could not have kept another defender happy
- Carragher responded and insisted he did not think Klopp had made a mistake
Jurgen Klopp has hit back at Jamie Carragher after the former Liverpool defender questioned why the club were reluctant to sign a centre back in the summer.
The Premier League champions are expected to be without star defender Virgil van Dijk for the rest of the season after he suffered anterior cruciate ligament damage following a reckless Jordan Pickford tackle during the weekend’s Merseyside derby.
Carragher believes that Liverpool are now short at the back as a result of Van Dijk’s injury and should have ‘gone big’ in the summer, but Klopp has taken umbrage with his comments and claimed he could not have kept another centre half happy.
Jurgen Klopp has hit back at Jamie Carragher over his comments about signing defenders
Carragher suggested Liverpool should have signed another defender in the summer window
‘We went into the season with three centre backs plus Fabinho as cover and some youngsters,’ Klopp said.
‘It’s hard to have four world-class centre halves.
‘If anyone wants to tell us we made a mistake – I think Carragher mentioned already – there are a few reasons why they don’t do this job.’
He also claimed Liverpool are now a centre back short following Virgil van Dijk’s injury
But Klopp responded to Carragher and said he could not have kept another defender happy
Carragher however then defended the comments, tweeting: ‘Not once this season have I said it was a mistake for Klopp not to buy a centre back for the exact reason he states.’
On Sky Sports on Monday, Carragher said on Liverpool’s defensive situation: ‘Dejan Lovren went and they didn’t replace him so they only have three centre backs and one of those, Joel Matip, is always injured.
‘There are question marks now about Joe Gomez. So there is no doubt that Liverpool had to go big in the transfer market.’
Carragher defended his comments saying Klopp has not made a mistake in not signing one
It was those comments that made Klopp angry, but Carragher’s fellow Sky pundit Gary Neville saw the funny side of it, reacting to the former centre back’s riposte by tweeting: ‘In-fighting already’ with the boxing glove emoji and laughing faces.
Carragher however did call on Klopp not to make the same mistake again and believes the Anfield club should target RB Leipzig and France centre back Dayot Upamecano early in the January transfer window.
The former England international also put Wolves captain Conor Coady in a sticky spot following their 1-0 win over Leeds, asking the current England defender if he would consider a return to Liverpool after claiming Klopp was eyeing him, which was laughed off.
Carragher however did encourage Liverpool to go after Dayot Upamecano in January
He also cheekily asked Wolves captain Conor Coady if he would like to re-join the Reds
