“We are back”, Jurgen Klopp insisted after Liverpool’s mightily-impressive 3-1 defeat of Bayern Munich on Wednesday night.
A very nervy run that had seen them draw four of their last seven Premier League games to let Manchester City ease ahead in the title race was now at an end, according to the German.
Whether that’s true or not, I would also hope that the Liverpool manager now settles down to stop biting back at reasonable questions.
Over the last month or so, anyone vaguely suggesting that pressure was playing a part in Liverpool’s wobble got very short shrift. What’s more, Klopp’s irritable replies did nothing to dispel the suspicion.
Look, I know these top managers are under an awful lot of stress — they all lose their cool at one time or other — but I can’t see how Klopp’s behaviour was helping the team.
As a player, if I saw my boss acting that way I would wonder whether the pressure was getting to him. Ideally, you want to see your leader in total control, no matter the heat.
I can’t see there being much heat at Craven Cottage, though. It looks like a case of how many against a team already doomed.
Beating Fulham won’t, therefore, tell us if Liverpool really are back. Their next game against Tottenham should manage that.
