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TalkSport pundit Gabby Agbonlahor has criticized Jurgen Klopp for Liverpool’s disturbing performance and has labeled his side as ‘toothless’ in recent weeks.
The Reds lost a shocking 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest on Saturday afternoon, with Taiwo Awoniyi’s goal showing the difference between the two sides.
With Klopp’s side continuing to lose ground to their league rivals – already 11 points behind leader Arsenal – Agbonlahor has torn the German label of a ‘mentality monster’.
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool are 7th in the Premier League after a 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest
TalkSport expert Gabby Agbonlahor did not hold back in his criticism of the German boss
Liverpool stars trudged off the pitch after being outclassed by the newly promoted side
Talk about TalkSport’s Gameday Phone-InAgbonlahor said: ‘Where do you start with Liverpool?
“First of all, Fabio Carvalho looks like he has no Premier League quality. He doesn’t look ready, he has to be loaned out for another season. He struggled, he didn’t affect the game, he didn’t seem to exist. Harvey Elliott played well, but Curtis Jones struggled. These are talented kids, but right now Liverpool needs players to show up.
“Fabinho’s legs are gone. His idea of a sprint is like a walk at the moment. Liverpool have a lot of problems. Roberto Firmino is inconsistent, Mohamed Salah was poor today and Joe Gomez, he has played two good games and everyone says he can go to the World Cup but today he was terrible again. So sloppy.’
The Reds – who reached the Champions League final in May – were beaten convincingly against Forest, who moved to 19th place after the win.
Liverpool left a lot to be desired after their faltering performance at the City Ground
Agbonlahor continued: ‘Mr Mentality Monster, Jurgen, five games away from home with no win this season – can he only play them on a packed Anfield at home?
Can’t he get his ‘mentality monster’ team ready for away games? Because today was shocking from Liverpool. Every player, except Alisson, was under five out of ten today.’
The Brazilian Liverpool goalkeeper was called into action several times when Klopp’s side was overrun by Forest’s attackers at the City Ground.
Asked about their prospects of securing a spot in next year’s Champions League, the pundit said: Liverpool are back in the top four – can you name four better teams right now that are better than Liverpool in the Premier League? Easy!
“Man City, Arsenal, Man United, Spurs, Chelsea, and there are more than that. Newcastle even.’
Agbonlahor says goalkeeper Alisson was the only player above ‘a five out of ten’
The former Aston Villa striker has targeted Klopp a number of times in recent months
“I said at the beginning of the season that I don’t think Liverpool will be in the Champions League this season, and I stand by that. I won’t get carried away with beating Rangers, who were terrible, or beating Manchester City because of Pep Guardiola’s mistakes with his tactics,” Agbonlahor said.
“They didn’t feel like it today against Nottingham Forest. Liverpool are so inconsistent. They were toothless.
“Forest was the better team, they put it on Liverpool’s toes, they looked organised, Lingard looked better today, Gibbs White looked much better today.”
Nottingham Forest trio Jesse Lingard, Brennan Johnson and Morgan Gibbs-White celebrate
Just last month, Agbonlahor criticized Klopp for his response to Dieter Hamann’s comments about Liverpool’s recent form.
Ahead of their Champions League game with Rangers, Hamann said “we’re going to have that manager discussion at some point,” to which Klopp responded by saying his compatriot has “no idea” what he’s talking about.
Then Agbonlahor jumped in and labeled the Liverpool boss “a petulant kid”.
“I thought Jürgen Klopp was like a grumpy kid,” Agbonlahor said talkSPORT Breakfast. “Didi Hamann won the Champions League for Liverpool, had a fantastic career, if he can’t talk about Liverpool then who can?”
Gabby Agbonlahor (right) previously called Jurgen Klopp (left) a ‘stimulating child’
And in August, following the radio pundit’s call on Erik ten Hag to retire after Manchester United’s 4-0 humiliation at Brentford, Klopp clawed the former striker.
The Liverpool manager claimed he almost called talksport to complain after listening to Agbonlahor’s criticism as he drove home from training last Saturday night.
“What he said about United, I was about to call him and tell him ‘you completely forgot you were a player,'” Klopp said.
“He lost to us 6-0 in my first year (at Liverpool). I couldn’t remember him as a “mentality monster” on the pitch. It was unbelievable (what he said). If ex-players go like that, you can imagine how everything else goes.’