"It's not just one problem" - Pundit hits back at Liverpool fans calling for Jurgen Klopp's sacking

Football pundit and former Rangers forward Ally McCoist believes Jurgen Klopp should not be individually blamed for Liverpool's poor 2022-23 season. McCoist's comments came in the aftermath of the Reds' dismal 5-2 defeat against Real Madrid in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League Round-of-16 tie.

Klopp's troops led 2-0 inside the opening 15 minutes at Anfield on Tuesday, February 21, thanks to goals from Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah. However, some poor defending and an error by Alisson Becker allowed Vinicius Jr. to score twice and level the scores before half-time.

Eder Militao then scored just two minutes after the restart thanks to more shoddy defending before Karim Benzema's brace sealed an emphatic win for Los Blancos.

Following the result, some fans blamed Klopp for the club's miseries this season. However, McCoist wasn't having any of it and believes the Reds have multiple problems that need resolving.

Regarding claims that Klopp needs to leave Anfield, he told talkSPORT:

"Nonsense. Come on. Absolute nonsense. He's given Liverpool some of the best times in the club's history, never mind anything else. What we're seeing just now, I don't think it's shocking for us, I think we've all kind of seen it coming."

The former Rangers forward continued:

"I said earlier on that the biggest problem at Liverpool is that it's not just one problem. I think defensively, they've not been the same, the midfield is clearly not right. And upfront, although they've been better recently, they're still not firing."

McCoist concluded:

"But come on, let's calm things down here. If anybody deserves an opportunity to have a rebuild, it's Jurgen Klopp."

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Liverpool's season in tatters after Real Madrid defeat

Liverpool have undoubtedly endured a rough campaign. Injuries have certainly not helped their cause, while inconsistency across the board has had a massive negative impact on their season.

Their 5-2 defeat against Real Madrid on Tuesday meant the Reds' hopes of salvaging their campaign took an even bigger hit.

Jurgen Klopp's men currently sit eighth in the Premier League even after winning their last two matches by 2-0 margins against Everton and Newcastle United. They are still seven points adrift of fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur and have also exited both domestic cups.

Liverpool's hopes of qualifying for next season's UEFA Champions League largely hinged on them winning the same competition this term. However, after Real Madrid's stunning comeback, the Reds will have to secure an unlikely win by a big margin at the Santiago Bernabeu on March 15 just to make the last eight.