Former Liverpool goalkeeper Sander Westerveld says there are reasons for their struggles this season.
The Dutchman was speaking before Liverpool's Champions League round of 16 second-leg clash at Real Madrid tonight. The Reds must overcome a 5-2 aggregate deficit.
He told Marca: "It's not usual for Liverpool to lose because of the result that came out at Anfield. I work for television and I watch the team a lot, I think that, of all Klopp's seasons, this is the weakest. The game surprised me because it is a team that has a lot of quality, it was seen in the derby and in the match against Manchester United.
"The team played well for the first 20 minutes, but everything changed in such a bad way for Liverpool that it surprised me. Real Madrid played the second half impressively.
"Last year they won two trophies and only lacked the Champions League. That may be the problem, they have played so many games and it may have cost them a lot of energy. The second reason is the injuries, I don't remember a year with so many casualties. There were also new players, the forwards, who had to get used to Liverpool's style. To all this, we must add that the owners haven't bought a midfielder for four years, only Thiago.
"It's a year that we have to forget. You never know with Liverpool, it's a team that works miracles, but the goal is to finish fourth."