Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has found his team under pressure after a run of poor results and some untimely injuries, but he isn't in the mood to let Didi Hamann call the shots.
Former Reds midfielder Hamann has questioned the team's lack of spark after a defeat at Arsenal on Sunday left them 14 points adrift of the league leaders. With Luis Diaz and Trent Alexander-Arnold suffering injuries in the game, things continue to get worse for last season's Premier League runners-up.
However, when Klopp was pressed on the subject, he issued a feisty response regarding Hamann. It's far from the first time a pundit has found their way into the manager's crosshairs, as Mirror Football explains here.
Didi Hamann
"This Liverpool team looks tired, they look pedestrian and they just look flat," Hamann told talkSPORT when assessing his former club. "I’m not sure where the spark is going to come from because they’ve won games in the past. They beat Rangers a few days ago [at Anfield] but they’re obviously far superior to Rangers.
"I trust that they’ll know where the spark is going to come from but whether it’s the end of an era? I wouldn’t write them off, but my imagination doesn’t let me see where the spark is going to come from in the next few weeks."
In his press conference ahead of the reverse fixture against Rangers, where a defeat could threaten their Champions League knockout stage qualification, Klopp was asked about the 'spark' element. And his answer suggests he wasn't delighted to be asked.
Was Klopp right to hit back at Hamann? Have your say in the comments section
"Oh great. A fantastic source, well respected everywhere," Klopp began. He was then asked whether his fellow German's Anfield links added weight to the question, and his feelings were clear.
"That does not give you the right to say what you want especially when you have no idea. I actually think Didi Hamann does not deserve that you use his phrase to ask a question. Do me a favour and ask your own question. Try to ask without using the word spark."
Gabby Agbonlahor
Going into the season, the idea of an ongoing war of words between Jurgen Klopp and Gabby Agbonlahor isn't something more people anticipated. That's what we got, though, with the debate going on far longer than most would have anticipated.
Perhaps even more curiously, the back-and-forth wasn't even sparked by a Liverpool result, but rather by Manchester United's defeat at Brentford shortly before they hosted Klopp's side. "It was not a nice week for United after Brentford. We forget how good Brentford are," Klopp told reporters before his team's trip to Old Trafford.
"I watched the first half and then radio, talkSPORT. Gabby Agbonlahor... I was close to calling in! He wasn't a mentality monster when we beat Villa 6-0."
Agbonlahor was taken aback by the comments, and surprised by the backlash to his criticism of United after their defeat in west London. “For Klopp to say that was a bit strange and to mention the 6-0 was even stranger," he said.
"Why make it personal? What should I have said? That Man Utd were ‘splendidly unlucky to lose 4-0?’ I just told the truth.”
The pair appeared to have buried the hatchet, though Agbonlahor wasn't stopped from criticising Klopp's team after Liverpool's draw with Everton. The Reds boss, however, may have moved on to new targets.
Simon Jordan
Since arriving in England, Klopp has immersed himself in the culture of the country. And, yes, this has included listening to talkSPORT - even when he doesn't always see eye-to-eye with the pundits on the station.
"I cannot say that I am a fan of Simon Jordan to be honest, not always," the manager said earlier in 2022. "Sometimes I share his opinion; more often than not I don't but that's not a problem, it's entertainment.
"By the way, I don't listen to [talkSPORT] for information reasons, I listen to it to improve my English! Because we have a Scottish guy and an English guy and other dialects on talkSPORT as well so that's why I try to get more into the language, that’s the reason."
Jordan, the former owner of Crystal Palace, took it in his stride, as made clear by his comments in the lead-up to Liverpool's clash with title-rivals Manchester City in April. "I've now decided that I'm a massive advocate for Man City and I shall spend my entire time trying to pick holes in Jurgen Klopp because he doesn't like what I have to say!" the 55-year-old said.
Gary Neville
Neville's punditry has attracted attention from a number of directions, In Klopp's case, it was comments from the former Man Utd captain about Red Devils midfielder Hannibal which caused the biggest stir.
Tunisian youngster Hannibal made a late cameo as Liverpool beat Man Utd at Anfield last season, making one particularly robust challenge on Naby Keita. Neville praised the midfielder, but later apologised for some "slightly unprofessional" language which Klopp picked up on.
"He had to apologise for that, rightly so," Klopp said. "I understand where he is coming from. Obviously you want to see some aggression, but there is a difference between aggression and kicking players. It makes no sense.
“Aggression in football means you are ready to hurt yourself, not the other one. I don’t blame the kid, he came on and the game was a bit quick and he wanted to make an impression.
"He was a bit late here and there. It's all good. Aggression in football is absolutely fine but you cannot sort your own problems by hurting the opposition players, that is what I have never understood.”
Roy Keane
It wouldn't be an article about outspoken pundits without a mention of Roy Keane, would it? The Irishman has never been afraid to upset players or managers, and Klopp was just one of many prompted to respond after comments from the former Man Utd star.
Early in the 2020-21 season, when Liverpool were yet to suffer the defensive injury crisis which would damage their campaign, the Reds beat Arsenal to make it three wins from three. However, comments from Keane after the victory appeared to rile their manager.
Keane was largely positive about the reigning champions, comparing them to a machine. He also claimed "They were sloppy on one or two occasions at the back but job done and a good start to the season for them," and it was this which got to Klopp.
“Did I hear it right, that Mr Keane said it was a sloppy performance tonight?" the German asked. "I’m not sure I heard it right, maybe he was speaking about another game… it cannot be this game, sorry!
“That is an incredible description of this game, that was absolutely exceptional. Nothing was sloppy, absolutely nothing.
Klopp went on to praise the "dominant" and "exceptional" performance of his team, who had made it three wins from three with the victory, in a lengthy defence. “About this game tonight, there is nothing bad to say. It was the opposite of sloppy.”
Still, while it was undoubtedly an impressive display from his team, some sloppiness did creep in during the next game as the Reds lost 7-2 at Aston Villa. Perhaps wanting to pre-empt the reaction, Klopp brought up Keane's comments before anyone else had the chance to.
"Last week, Mr. Keane said we defended sloppy," he said. "Tonight it was not sloppy, it was just bad."
