Jurgen Klopp hit back at Roy Keane's brutal two-word Liverpool criticism

Roy Keane launched into a brutal rant about Liverpool's defence of the Premier League title, resulting in a feisty response from Jurgen Klopp

Roy Keane refused to hold back when branding Liverpool "bad champions" in a scathing attack that Jurgen Klopp defiantly responded to. The former Manchester United man tore into the Reds during their dismal Premier League title defence in the 2020/21 campaign following a humiliating 4-1 home defeat to Manchester City in February 2021.

The result marked Liverpool's second consecutive home defeat and their third straight Anfield loss at the time, prompting the Irishman to unleash a furious tirade against the German manager and his squad.

Keane lambasted the former Reds boss for making excuses and accused Klopp's team of getting caught up in their own hype after securing Champions League and Premier League glory in successive campaigns.

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Speaking on Sky Sports, he said: "We spoke before the game - they are making a lot of excuses. To me they've been bad champions. You can lose a game of football but... I can't figure this group out. Looking at them, even during the week, Brighton were comfortable, you can get beaten in a game - there's a way to be beaten. But I don't see that.

"I think maybe they've believed the hype over the last year or two. We spoke about there would be some sort of drop off, but they're playing for a big team in Liverpool. It's almost as if they won the league last year and got a bit carried away, believed their own hype, they're going to beat teams.

"In my mindset, when you've won a league title your next challenge is, 'Can we do it again?' I never got the impression from this squad/group, from their interviews, even from the manager last year when they won it, were they saying, 'What's the next step for Liverpool?' No. Almost, 'Let's enjoy this.'

"Obviously it was a long wait, 30 years, but I never heard any of the players come out and say, 'I want to do it again.' That's the key. Now they're talking about trying to get in the top four... from winning the league last year. The top four is now where our targets are?"

The Reds had to deal with an injury crisis throughout that season, with Virgil van Dijk being the most notable absentee as the Dutchman missed most of the season due to an ACL injury. Despite having to go without the defender, Keane insisted it wasn't an excuse for their poor performances.

"They're a huge club," he added. "They have to deal with setbacks. Is that not part of the game? If players were fit the whole time it would be fantastic. You could look at Man City and say they're missing their two best players.

"They've come to Liverpool, who have a strong team, I know the two centre halves are missing, but they still had their best attacking players on the pitch. [They] still had their best goalkeeper available, they still have international players available. And after the game, I think Klopp said the keeper's feet were cold!"

Keane's remarks didn't go unanswered, as Klopp assured Liverpool supporters of future triumphs. "We will go again," he firmly stated, elaborating: "If you didn't see a really good football team that will win football games again, I don't know exactly. That really hurts tonight, but we will go again.

"If you are only really united when we are winning, there is something wrong with you. We will go again. This is a tough moment in a tough season - I saw a lot of good things tonight and we have to go again and again and again."

Klopp indeed made good on his promise, leading Liverpool to a domestic cup double the following season, reaching a third Champions League final in five seasons, and finishing just a point behind City.

Another Premier League or Champions League under Klopp did not materialise, with their next chance to lift the league title coming six months ago under Arne Slot, but the ecstatic celebrations after confirming the title with a 5-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur feel like a distant memory.

After kicking off the season with five consecutive league victories, Liverpool's form has taken a dramatic downturn, now suffering four straight league defeats - the first time they've experienced such a run since 2021.

Currently positioned seventh in the league and trailing Arsenal by seven points, Liverpool's prospects of mounting a title challenge against the north London side are diminishing. Their most recent setback - a 3-2 defeat to Brentford on Saturday - has only heightened the pressure on Slot, who confessed he is currently at a loss for solutions to reverse his team's fortunes.

Keane's moniker of "bad champions" could quite aptly be applied to Slot's squad so far, with the Dutchman needing to engineer a substantial turnaround to free himself, and his team, from the unwelcome label.

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