Is Jurgen Klopp SCARED of the early kick-off curse? Liverpool manager fumes at being selected for two lunchtime slots following international breaks after failing to win ANY of their six 12:30 games last season

• Liverpool’s first game back from the international break is against Wolves
• Jurgen Klopp’s side failed to win a single game at 12.30pm over the last season 
• Listen to the latest episode of Mail Sport’s podcast ‘It’s All Kicking Off!’ 

Jurgen Klopp bemoaned his side’s schedule in a press conference on Friday, with his side once against drawn to play at 12.30pm on Saturday. 

After an underwhelming season last term, his side have started brightly in 2023-24, winning three and drawing one of their first four games of the Premier League campaign. 

Mohamed Salah, who had been linked with a big-money move to Saudi Arabia, has hit the ground running in particular, with two goals and as many assists but Klopp insisted that he was not worried about his talisman leaving in January. 

As well as fielding questions about his former captain Jordan Henderson’s summer departure, Klopp was quizzed on his side’s poor record in 12.30pm kick-offs. 

However, judging from his reaction it was a prickly subject for the German boss, who failed to win any of his six 12.30pm games last term. 

Jurgen Klopp was quizzed over his side’s poor record in 12.30pm kick-offs before Wolves trip

The Reds lost to newly-promoted Nottingham Forest in October 2022 while struggling

They were also beaten by Bournemouth in March, a result that dented their top four ambitions

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‘Are you serious with this question?’ he responded when initially asked whether his side had issues in this particular slot.

LIVERPOOL’S RECORD IN EARLY KO 2022-23

D 2-2 v Fulham (A)

D 0-0 v Everton (A)

L 1-0 v Forest (A)

D 0-0 v Chelsea (H)

L 1-0 v Bournemouth (A)

L 4-1 v Man City (A) 

He added: ‘What do you mean what is the difference when you play 30 hours ago in Bolivia? What do you think is the reason, I don’t understand.

‘Is it something about the time or the lack of recovery in between. It’s not a problem if you have a normal week, we’ve always said that. The only problem is the lack of recovery time.

‘We have four international breaks until March, and on two of them we have the 12.30pm kick-off. If I say one word about it again the whole world goes “He’s starting to moan again”, but it’s a joke – we have players in South America that I haven’t seen yet and we play in 24 hours. It’s a joke.

‘We’ll never change that, but it doesn’t change anything at all. They just don’t give a (inaudible) about that so why should we talk about it?

‘In the moment someone like you gives me the feeling, sitting there “What’s exactly the problem, is it 12.30pm because it’s lunchtime? Or could it be the like of time between the games and the intensity of the travel?” Make your own opinion about it but maybe without a source.’

In total last term, his side lost three of those games, drawing the other three, with two coming at home. 

Liverpool stars were in action across the world, with Alexis Mac Allister (pictured) playing in Bolivia

His side were held by Fulham (A), Everton (A) and Chelsea (H) but lost to each of Nottingham Forest (A), Bournemouth (A) and Manchester City (A). 

His side have been drawn to play in two 12.30pm kick-offs on the Saturday immediately after the international break before March. They will also feature in two further such games in the same period.

Although his side dominate the head-to-head record against Wolves in their history, with 59 wins to the Molineux outfit’s 39, it has been a more even contest in recent years despite the gulf in budgets and personnel. 

Last season the two sides met four times in three months, with the Reds winning twice, once in the league and once in the FA Cup Third Round replay following a 1-1 draw first time round, while Wolves came out on top in a 3-0 league win at Molineux.

IT’S ALL KICKING OFF! 

It’s All Kicking Off is an exciting new podcast from Mail Sport that promises a different take on Premier League football.

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