Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp hits back at Gary Neville as five substitutes debate continues

Five substitutes were permitted per team per match when the English top flight returned after lockdown but that has since reverted to three

Ben Burrows
Friday 04 December 2020 08:33 EST
Comments
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp (Sky Sports)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Jurgen Klopp has hit back at Gary Neville in the ongoing debate about the amount of substitutes allowed in the Premier League.

Five substitutes were permitted per team per match when the English top flight returned after lockdown as clubs battled to manager player fitness following three months off.

The league have reverted back to three substitutes per match this season, much to Klopp's chagrin, with the German having watched a number of the Reds' top player succumb to injuries in recent months.

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder believes the likes of Klopp are seeking to gain an advantage for their own clubs with Neville of a similar opinion.

READ MORE: Premier League fixtures and latest standings

Klopp, however, has responded to the Sky Sports pundit to deny any such accusation.

"Gary Neville said something, but it is not about Liverpool," he said in his pre-match press conference on Friday. "He should not think that I am like him. I am not like him. I speak about all players, not only Liverpool players."

Neville made the comments on Sky's Monday Night Football programme where suggested Klopp was attempting to gain an advantage much in the same manner as his former manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, used to do.

"I don't think Jurgen Klopp's got a point around fatigue, around the length of time of pre-season or about the Saturday kick-offs," he said.

"My view is that when you become a winning manager, and this is where Sir Alex got to and why they called him a whinging so and so for many years, the best managers they just want to win.

"The biggest risk to Klopp winning the league again this season is another big injury or two. So, he wants to try and gain that advantage to put some psychological thing into people's minds. Sir Alex Ferguson did it for 15 or 16 years.

"Klopp has been the best manager in interviews for the last few years, he's been the best manager on the pitch, he's connected with the fans better than anybody else, his style of football is fantastic, but on Saturday he got done in an interview, and that's very rare.

"He didn't get his story right, he hasn't got his evidence to back him up either in games played or in the Saturday kick-off slots. He just lost this particular one having been brilliant in all his other interviews that he's done.

"He's trying to gain an advantage to get results, that's it.

"I played for a manager in Sir Alex Ferguson, every single season he wanted that advantage. He wanted the ability to recover more, to play at different times, so it suited Manchester United, and that's what Klopp wants now."

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in