Jurgen Klopp asked if fatigue is Liverpool’s problem – his answer is worrying

After dismal displays back-to-back against Luton and Toulouse, there are clear signs of tiredness within the Liverpool squad, but Jurgen Klopp insists not.

Against two sides fighting a relegation battle in the league, Liverpool dominated possession but could do nothing with it.

At Luton on Sunday, the Reds were unable to make their chances count and were undone on the counter, needing a late, late equaliser from Luis Diaz to salvage a point.

Four days later, they were pummelled by a Toulouse side that sit 14th in Ligue 1, a point off the relegation zone with only four sides below them.

During his post-match interview with TNT Sports, Klopp was directly questioned on whether fatigue was already becoming an issue.

“No, fatigue is not our problem,” the manager replied.

“It’s easy decisions, we have to decide how we want to play, the boys have to decide how we want to play.

“We can be a very good football team, but without winning defensive challenges – nope.”

Klopp’s assessment rings true in the statistics, with Toulouse winning 60 duels to Liverpool’s 45 and a sizeable 63 percent of their ground duels to the visitors 37 percent.

Per FotMob, the Reds only won four tackles (50%) over the course of the 90 minutes, with Toulouse winning 16 (53%), though this may have been more to do with Liverpool seeing 72 percent of possession.

But while may have access to the raw data when it comes to signs of fatigue within his squad, this does not exactly match up to what is unfolding on the pitch.

Liverpool may be able to string passes together as efficiently as ever, but their inability to win 50-50s and, ultimately, break down rigid defences over the past week has shown a lack of invention.

It may be a mental fatigue more than physical – with Alexis Mac Allister a prime example – but Klopp simply put it down to a lack of aggression.

“We were not aggressive enough. They won all the decisive battles, challenges, stuff like this,” he continued.

“We gave balls away easily: first goal, I’m not sure the second goal, third goal last line too deep. So real mistakes.

“With all the possession you have, obviously we could have created more, but you cannot concede three goals here tonight. That makes no sense.

“But because they fought harder, they are more aggressive in these challenges, it’s deserved. Congratulations to Toulouse.”