Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was ‘reacting to something he read elsewhere’ when he furiously refused to answer a journalist’s question after his side’s defeat by Wolves
The journalist who Jurgen Klopp refused to talk to on Saturday has reportedly explained why the Liverpool manager furiously snubbed him.
A prickly Klopp refused to speak to The Athletic’s James Pearce in the aftermath of his side’s 3-0 humbling by Wolves.
In the post-match press conference at Molineux, Pearce questioned how Klopp’s men prepare for games and questioned Liverpool’s mentality.
Responding to Pearce’s question, Klopp said: ‘It’s very difficult to talk to you if I’m 100 percent honest. I would prefer not to do that.’
Klopp then explained why he refused to respond to Pearce’s question, with the German saying: ‘You know why, for all the things you wrote. So If somebody else wanted to ask that question then I’ll answer it.’
Jurgen Klopp refused to answer a question regarding the reason for Liverpool’s poor starts
Many were surprised and shocked as to why the German manager refused to answer questions from Pearce.
With that being said, an apparent quote from the journalist has since surfaced and it alleges Klopp’s response was a case of mistaken identity.
While there’s some confusion whether it was or wasn’t a case of mistaken identity, Pearce is reported to have said: ‘I’ve since been told he was reacting to something he read elsewhere the past few days. Nothing I’d written.’
An own goal from defender Joel Matip and strikes by Craig Dawson and Ruben Neves handed Wolves all three points against Klopp’s men.
The Merseyside giants currently sit 10th in the Premier League and are currently enduring a torrid run of form.
Another journalist would then go on to ask the same question as Pearce, with Klopp happy to give an honest answer.
Klopp went on to admit that his side’s tendency to start slow was alarming, and added that defeat on Saturday represented the nadir of the club’s season so far.
‘Yes that’s true, we had that subject through the first part of this season, now not so much,’ Klopp said. ‘But today it was the pinnacle of our problems because in a game like this it is absolutely not allowed.
The Liverpool manager was asked why his team are notoriously starting matches slowly
Craig Dawson and Ruben Neves both netted in Wolves’ 3-0 home win against Liverpool
‘You can criticise, you can judge us you can say whatever you want and you are probably right, I have nothing to say against that because these twelve minutes are not allowed.
‘Coming here with all the things we did in the last few days and during the whole season so far what we want, and then we arrive here and this is the outcome that’s really hard to take I have to say.’
The Reds have won just one of their last five league games and are now 11 points off the Champions League places.
Liverpool’s next game is a home showdown with neighbours Everton, who are coming off of a win against Arsenal in Sean Dyche’s first game in charge.
The club will then travel to Newcastle on February 18 before hosting Real Madrid in the first-leg of their knockout showdown with the Champions League holders.
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