Klopp’s Training Leads To Injuries – Graeme Souness

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp’s high-intensity approach has been a major factor in the club’s current injury crisis, according to Graeme Souness.

Liverpool beat Stoke City 1-0 in the first leg of their Capital One Cup semifinal tie, but the win was marred by two more players for the club — Dejan Lovren and Philippe Coutinho — leaving the match with apparent hamstring injuries.

The Reds have also seen Martin Skrtel, Divock Origi, Jordan Rossiter and Daniel Sturridge suffer hamstring problems, compounding an injury crisis that has also seen the likes of Jordan Henderson, Mamadou Sakho, Joe Gomez and Danny Ings sidelined with other issues.

Souness, who won five league titles and three European Cups with Liverpool and later managed the club, believes part of the problem stems from the German manager’s style of play and his approach to training.

“After 11 games, the guys who’ve been playing are match-fit,” Souness said.

“Some people can get there in three or four games, some need eight or nine, but after 11 games, if you’ve been playing regularly, you’re match-fit.

“A new manager comes in and all the chat was about high press further up the field. It’s hard work to do that for 90 minutes. You can do it in bursts.

“You can do it for an hour, you can do it for 70 minutes, but to do it for 90 minutes is a big demand on your legs.

“I just think they’ve fallen foul of that. It’s not a coincidence, five hamstrings. To have them all at one time, I think they have to look at what they’re doing in training.”