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For the first time in over five years, rumours of Jurgen Klopp’s sacking have been circulated by a section of the media. While these stories may not hold much authenticity, there is no doubt the German manager is currently under huge pressure.
Liverpool were handed yet another heavy defeat on Saturday when they lost 3-1 to Leicester City. The Reds dominated for larger parts of the game but a late collapse saw the Foxes take all three points.
Klopp’s side have now lost three consecutive games in the Premier League for the first time since November 2014. And with their latest defeat come several consequences.
The season is just over halfway done, but Liverpool are now almost certainly out of the title race, with their slump raising further concerns.
Liverpool torn apart by ruthless Leicester
The Reds looked to be in cruise control for three-quarters of the match against Leicester City before capitulating. Mohamed Salah’s well-taken strike looked to have set them up for a victory before James Maddison equalised from a free-kick.
Jamie Vardy then took advantage of a defensive mix-up between Alisson Becker and new signing Ozan Kabak to slot into an empty net.
Harvey Barnes completed the rout as Brendan Rodger's side secured a hard-fought 3-1 win to temporarily rise to second in the Premier League. Liverpool have been underwhelming in recent weeks and their latest defeat has compounded their misery.
Having lost 4-1 to Manchester City last week, the Reds were looking to get back to winning ways against Leicester. However, they were defeated once again, and have plunged into a full-blown crisis.
Liverpool risk missing out on top-four finish
Liverpool’s loss to Leicester means the club could finish the Premier League gameweek outside the top four. After falling 10 points behind Manchester City, the Reds could now also trail Manchester United and Chelsea.
It’s been a frustrating start to 2021 for Liverpool, who have gone from occupying the summit of the Premier League to facing an uphill battle for a top-four place.
"I don't think we can close the gap. We are not worrying about the title, we are not silly,” Klopp said after the game, as quoted by the BBC.
"We have to win football games and big parts of the football were really good. We scored a great goal but conceded a strange one and I think it's offside, and the [goal for] 2-1 is a misunderstanding. That had too big an impact on the game. We had to show a different reaction, and the third we gave away too easily," the German manager finished.
Liverpool’s poor form means they are at serious risk of missing out on a top-four finish and it’ll now take a drastic transformation for them to get their season back on track.
