Former Liverpool captain Phil Thompson believes it's 'too easy' to blame the Reds' woes on the departure of Sadio Mane last summer - but admits he's baffled as to why Jurgen Klopp's men can no longer press like they used to.
Ahead of Monday's Merseyside derby against Everton, Liverpool sit 10th in the Premier League table having lost seven games so far this season and are enduring their worst run away from home since 2012 following defeats to Wolves, Brighton and Brighton so far in 2023.
And after six consecutive seasons in the Champions League, the Reds are facing the alarming possibility of not qualifying for Europe's premier competition next term due to trailing fourth-placed Newcastle United by 12 points.
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The fortunes of this season couldn't be further from the triumphs of last, where Klopp's men came within two games of completing a first ever English four-peat before narrowly missing out on Champions League and Premier League success to Real Madrid and Manchester City.
But since the Reds' early season condition raised concerns they may not be anywhere near their scintillating best this year, many have questioned the impact of allowing Mane to move onto pastures new during the summer and join Bayern Munich in a deal worth £35m after six trophy-laden years at Anfield.
The Senegal international, who was later replaced by 23-year-old Darwin Nunez - a player who is still understandably learning his trade within the English game, had been a key component of Klopp's system during his time on Merseyside, both in and out of possession.
But Thompson, who captained Liverpool to European Cup success in 1981, considers theories exaggerating Mane's departure to the Bundesliga as the sole reason behind Liverpool's downfall as an easy cop-out and believes there are much more pressing issues for Klopp to address if his side are to return to their best.
“I don’t know how it has gotten that bad," said Thompson, speaking on Off the Ball YouTube channel. "You like to think you can come up with answers; you think tactically, emotionally, you go through all of those things.
"You think was it about Sadio Mane? People look back at that but I think that’s too easy to say it’s just Sadio Mane, but the press is just not working anymore, I don’t know how or why."
While life post-Mane has been far from plain sailing for those at Anfield, the Senegal international has enjoyed anything but a smooth acclimatisation to life in Bavaria.
Manager Julian Nagelsmann admitted in September that the 30-year-old needed time to "adapt" to his new side and, despite a return of six goals in just 14 Bundesliga appearances, has not featured since November due to a leg injury which ruled him out of the 2022 World Cup.
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