Liverpool legend dumbfounded at dramatic collapse of Klopp trio

Liverpool legend John Aldridge has said that the U-turn in form from Jurgen Klopp’s front three in recent weeks “dumbfounds” him.

Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino have proved unmissable for the Reds in recent seasons.

Indeed, Salah and Mane have three Premier League Golden Boot awards between them since their arrivals. Firmino, meanwhile, has faced more criticism than his partners but had responded before Christmas.

Since Christmas, though, Liverpool have only scored one top-flight goal, which came from Mane. What’s more, such a barren run has been spread across five games and has seen them slip down the table.

Writing in a column for the Liverpool Echo, former striker Aldridge said that he cannot believe the dramatic reversal in form from the three players.

“The front three are getting fingers pointed at them and quite rightly so because you’re paid to score goals,” he wrote.

“You’re on a lot of money to score goals and you have to do it. Centre-forwards have to score one in every two games basically and they’re not doing it.

“It dumbfounds me. A team that is free-scoring the way Liverpool are, to go from one extreme to the other. We were all worried about the defence but the defence have been brilliant.

“It’s the attacking part and the front three have lost their mojo.”

Aldridge added that he would pick Mane if he had to choose one of the trio who looks most likely to score.

However, he noted that the Reds’ lack of distinct chances paints a grim picture for the club going forward.

Liverpool lacking up front

“Mane looks a threat, more so than Salah or Firmino. They look a pale shadow of the players we know they can be. The ball isn’t falling for them and the confidence isn’t there,” the pundit added.

“It just shows when the confidence is down, the play isn’t great, that you snatch at things as well. It’s really worrying. For whatever reason, they’re not creating chances.

“We never looked like scoring against Southampton. Newcastle, no.

“That’s the worry. If you’re missing sitters and hitting the woodwork and the goalkeeper is pulling off magnificent saves, but I can’t really remember many in the last couple of games.”

To compound Liverpool’s recent woes, their poor form has come against sides down the bottom end of the table; Burnley sat 17th before earning three points at Anfield on Thursday.

As such, the next six weeks look make or break for Klopp’s men, who play Tottenham, Manchester City and Leicester.

Jamie Carragher has made a gloomy prediction about where Liverpool could find themselves if things continue on the wrong path.

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