Liverpool manager, Jurgen Klopp, has slammed suggestions that his side were on the decline and won’t be able to compete this season because they have past their prime.
Liverpool are 15 points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal after winning just four of their 12 games this season.
The Reds recently suffered consecutive defeats at the hands of Nottingham Forest and Leeds, resulting in criticisms of the squad that came close to winning an unprecedented quadruple of trophies last season.
However, the German believes judgment can only be made about his position and the team at the end of the season.
“I think the judgement for this will be later on in the season or at the end of the season when we say ‘this is it for this group of players or for this manager'”, Klopp said ahead of Napoli’s visit to Anfield in the Champions League on Tuesday.
“At the moment it is not 100 per cent fair to judge the squad because we never had them all available, especially now up front we miss top quality which isn’t helpful.”
I’m not tired, says Klopp
Insisting he is still up for the task of restoring Liverpool to their former glory, Klopp added: “It’s not a quick fix but we will not stop fighting.
“People look at me and they say ‘he looks tired’ or whatever but I’m not.
“I cannot give that excuse. My job is not only to be here when the sun is shining and somebody gives us a trophy.
“My job is to be there when we go through a really rough period and I will do that with all I have.”
Liverpool through to Champions League Round of 16
The club is already through to the Champions League Round of 16 and will be looking to top Group by beating Italian side, Napoli, by four goals to attain that feat.
“In the Champions League the most important thing is to get through and qualify for the knockout stage. That’s what we did,” Klopp said.
“It’s a football game broadcast all over the world. We will have a full Anfield and that means we have to put a proper shift in and that is what we will do.”
