Liverpool judgement coming too early says Klopp

Liverpool have seen defeat four times in the the Premier League so far this season

Jurgen Klopp in a press conference ahead of Champions League meeting with Napoli

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has rejected claims his current squad has reached the end of its lifespan and insists the verdict should be kept until the end of the season.

Consecutive losses to the bottom two clubs in the Premier League, Nottingham Forest and Leeds, have brought Liverpool closer to the relegation zone on points than the top four.

The Reds have lost four times in the league, taking just two points against Forest, Leeds, Everton, Crystal Palace, Fulham and Brighton.

The current starting line-up has one of the oldest players on average in the Premier League, with the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Thiago Alcantara all in their 30s.

But Klopp has insisted it is too early to write off his team.

“I think the judgement for this should come later on in the season, or maybe at the end,” he said ahead of the Champions League visit of Napoli.

“If you say ‘That’s it’ for this group of players or for this manager I don’t think that’s 100 percent fair in this moment, to judge the team or the squad, because we never had them available.

“We miss players, especially now up front, we miss top quality which is not helpful.

“Even if it’s unfair, it’s fine. It’s normal, it’s our life and it’s absolutely fair to ask these questions. But we have to answer that later on.”