Roy Keane was asked if Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool can be considered a great team following Sunday’s 2-2 draw against Arsenal.
It’s been a difficult campaign for the Reds, who sit eighth in the Premier League table with only nine fixtures left to play.
Champions League qualification appears to be out of reach for last season’s Premier League runners-up, who currently find themselves 33 points behind league-leaders Arsenal.
Most pundits and fans alike expected Liverpool to seriously challenge for the league title again this season, but, for whatever reason, things haven’t gone to plan for Klopp and his players.
It seems likely that Klopp will still be in charge of Liverpool at the start of next season. The German coach certainly has more than enough credit in the bank thanks to the outstanding work he’s done at Anfield since replacing Brendan Rodgers in 2015.
Are Klopp’s Liverpool a great team?
But if we are approaching the end of Klopp’s reign at Anfield, can his Liverpool side be considered a truly great team?
Sky Sports presenter Dave Jones showed the following graphic of Liverpool’s record under Klopp.
He said: “Let’s have a reminder of what this team has achieved in the time they’ve been together, with Jurgen Klopp driving them on to success domestically and in Europe. Champions League winners in 2018-19. Remember they got 97 points – just pipped by Manchester City.
“The following year, 99 points to win the Premier League. And then that drop off, with a couple of domestic cup wins in 2021-22. They were chasing four trophies.
“If this is the end, Roy, for this team… are we remembering them as a great Liverpool team?”
Keane reacts to being asked if Klopp’s Liverpool are a great team
Keane, the Manchester United legend who won seven Premier League titles, immediately responded: “No, forget about it. That’s not enough to be classed as a great team over that number of years. No. I don’t know why you’re staring at me for.
“You said ‘great team’, no that’s not enough prizes. They’ve been competing, they’ve been brilliant to watch, but no… I wouldn’t put that down as a great team.”
Watch the clip here:
Gary Neville’s reaction to Keane’s Liverpool assessment
Keane’s former Man Utd teammate Gary Neville argued: “I think for those three years they were a great team. The reason they didn’t win the trophies that Roy talks about is because of Manchester City. Obviously City are just exceptional, they’re one of the greatest Premier League teams we’ve ever seen – and that’s the problem Liverpool have had. I do think for three years they were achieving a great level.”
How did Jamie Carragher respond?
But Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher said: “I agree with both [Keane and Neville]. This team hasn’t won enough for how good it is. I do think they’re a great team but great teams will win the league three times, or win the Champions League two or three times. Gary’s right, they’ve been up against Manchester City, but that is the name of the game.
“What we’ve seen here [at Anfield] under Jurgen Klopp has been absolutely outstanding but I just wanted another league or another European Cup.
“Listen, what they’ve done and how they’ve entertained us over for the last four or five years has been absolutely out of this world, but I do think big changes are needed this summer.”
