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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Charlotte Coates

Jason McAteer responds to critics after stance on FSG and Liverpool

Liverpool's owners FSG can not solely be to blame for the poor form shown this season according to ex-Reds midfielder Jason McAteer.

The former Liverpool man believes it's 'too easy' to point the finger at the American owners when key players have been out of form this season and injuries have been rife.

McAteer took plenty of criticism from Liverpool fans at the weekend after defending the owners at Anfield as the Reds were beaten at home in the Premier League by Leeds United.

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Ahead of Liverpool's match against Napoli in their final group stage game, McAteer once again defended FSG for the poor results this season.

"I took criticism at the weekend for protecting FSG," McAteer said on BeINSPORTS. "All I said was that It's too easy to point the finger at FSG and blame them. You can't blame FSG for a team Jurgen Klopp picks against Nottingham Forest which included three youngsters and got outbattled.

"You can't blame FSG for a dip in form in Fabinho, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold. You certainly can't blame them for the back pass Joe Gomez makes against Leeds. What you could look at the owners for and say is have they been proactive in the transfer market in the sense that we need midfielders and areas strengthening and could they give Jurgen Klopp more money?

"We're bound by restraints and it's a business model. We haven't got deep pockets and we can't go into the transfer market and challenge Man City or Newcastle. We do it a different way and the owners do it a different way and you've got to throw Covid into the mix. I think it's too easy to point the finger and say it's FSG's fault.

"The owners could have been more proactive by giving Jurgen Klopp more and seeing this coming after the season we had last season. You could also blame Jurgen Klopp for the team selections. A lot of players have been injured."

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