Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has snapped at a reporter over a question about his team selection in the 0-0 draw against Chelsea on Tuesday.
Since their 7-0 demolition of Manchester United last month, the Reds have failed to register a victory in their last four matches as they prepare to host Arsenal.
Liverpool lost to AFC Bournemouth 1-0, Real Madrid 1-0 and Manchester City 4-1 prior to the midweek stalemate at Stamford Bridge.
Klopp made six changes to his team for the draw against Chelsea as Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah were dropped from the side, while Virgil van Dijk missed out due to illness.
Asked if he did that to manage player workload – or due to the City defeat – as eighth-placed Liverpool look to go on a late run and secure a top-four spot, Klopp reacted furiously and told a journalist that they were wasting his time.
‘We had a game against City, which is an influence physically and performance-wise,’ Klopp said. ‘It is both.
‘How can you expect I give you an answer and say ‘two were because of that and four were because of that’. That is a real waste of time.’
Quizzed if he still felt this week would ‘define’ Liverpool’s season, Klopp added: ‘If we win this game [against Arsenal] then we will have taken four points out of these games. This would be completely normal for us in the past.
‘Most of the time we drew there [at Stamford Bridge]. Last season, I sat at home with Covid. We started really well but it was a draw in the end. And losing to Man City was always possible.
‘I understand from your point of view it’s super difficult to find new questions every week but believe me it’s even more difficult to find new answers.’
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