Keegan: Coutinho key for Klopp

Liverpool recorded a huge win on Saturday with a 4-1 victory over Manchester City away from home. It worked. There were brilliant moments – but it was far, far, far from flawless.

The England global said: “I have had a silly amount of managers in my career”. “We’ve spoken a lot about the home form”.

Liverpool are eight points behind surprise league leaders Leicester City, but European qualification appears a more likely goal. “Yes, absolutely, it’s a collective failure – it’s unusual, because we never played in this way before”, he said.

“That’s what you need as a player – you have to feel the confidence of the manager and the whole staff, [knowing] that they’re behind you and we’re working in the same direction”.

“I don’t want to blame the team, I look at myself first and I was bad”.

Sturridge is “getting closer” and Klopp says he will make a late decision on the striker’s involvement against the French outfit, while Martin Skrtel is a doubt due to being “a little bit ill”.

Keegan – speaking during a visit to Qatar to check on progress there ahead of the 2022 World Cup there – added: “Klopp is a flawless fit at Liverpool”. Until his substitution, he and Roberto Firmino had been running City ragged. And if you can then win with that kind of result it gets even better. Him and [Philippe Coutinho] combined well and he was top class.

December will be a crucial month for Claudio Ranieri’s side, and if they can get through it unscathed maybe there needs to be a serious discussion about their Uefa Champions League hopes.

“All these things come into the reckoning, although no-one’s used the injuries as an excuse because the quality we’ve got throughout the squad means we’ve got a more-than-good-enough squad to deal with them”.

They are on a run of four wins from their last five games, with only a defeat to Crystal Palace blotting their recent copybook.

Milner also admitted he was sorry to see the man who signed him, Rodgers, leave so early in his Anfield career. Coutinho is just 23 years old but is enjoying a fine spell for the club.

He said: “I have had a silly amount of managers in my career”.

“This is one of the longest periods of time I’ve been out for and that has been tough for me”.

“I knew he was going there with the same game plan as at Stamford Bridge and Manchester City’s team on paper looked like they could struggle defensively in my opinion”.