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Joey Barton slams "stubborn" Jurgen Klopp following Liverpool's recent defeats

Joey Barton claims that Jurgen Klopp will not win any silverware with Liverpool if he does not improve the team's defence.

Former Manchester City midfielder Joey Barton has launched a rant against Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.

The controversial footballer, who has been critical of the German coach in the past, has claimed that the Reds have no hope of winning silverware unless the system changes.

The Merseyside outfit tried to address their defensive frailties by bringing in Virgil van Dijk from Southampton earlier this month, but problems were still apparent in recent defeats to Swansea City and West Bromwich Albion.

"[Klopp] needs his head examining," Barton told talkSPORT. "He has got no Plan B. He is so stubborn that if Plan A doesn't work, he just continues with Plan A.

"For me, Van Dijk is a good player but if you had seen in him that defence on Saturday, he looked a shambles. You are guilty by association. You could put anyone in that back line [and they would struggle].

"Positionally they are in the wrong spot, attitude-wise they are in the wrong spot. Ten opposition shots on target and nine goals... this is an alleged elite level manager and elite level coach.

"When Liverpool go forward and get it right, they can be mesmerising at times. But they will not win anything while they are defending the way they are are. There were shambolic [against West Brom]. The loss of [Philippe] Coutinho and the defensive vulnerabilities are making teams think 'this Liverpool side is a myth'."

Ahead of Tuesday's match against Huddersfield Town, the Reds sit fourth in the Premier League table.

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Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge in action during his side's Premier League clash with Newcastle United at St James' Park on October 1, 2017
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool15113131131836
2Chelsea16104237191834
3Arsenal1686229151430
4Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest168442119228
5Manchester CityMan City168352823527
6Bournemouth167452421325
7Aston Villa167452425-125
8Fulham166642422224
9Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton166642625124
10Tottenham HotspurSpurs1672736191723
11Brentford167273230223
12Newcastle UnitedNewcastle166552321223
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd166462119222
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham165472129-819
15Crystal Palace163761721-416
16Everton153661421-715
17Leicester CityLeicester163582134-1314
18Ipswich TownIpswich162681628-1212
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1623112440-169
20Southampton1612131136-255


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