Jurgen Klopp says he is not afraid of the axe after a spate of Premier League casualties but admits struggling Liverpool must deliver as he prepares his team to face managerless Chelsea. Liverpool, who fell agonisingly short of winning an unprecedented quadruple last season, are eight points off the top four after Saturday’s painful 4-1 loss at defending champions Manchester City.
Klopp takes his team to Stamford Bridge today after the weekend sacking of Graham Potter, hours after Leicester parted ways with Brendan Rodgers. Antonio Conte left Tottenham “by mutual agreement” last week. There have now been 13 managerial departures in the English top flight this season – a new record.
“I think the elephant in the room is probably why I am still sitting here in this crazy world,” Klopp said at his pre-match press conference yesterday. “Last man standing.”
The German admitted the current season had been a disappointment for the club, who are used to winning silverware. “I’m aware of the fact that I’m sitting here because of the past and not because of what we did this season,” said Klopp. “If this was my first season it would be slightly different.”
But he said he was not fearful over the future, even though his team, eighth in the table, face an uphill task to qualify for next season’s Champions League. “I don’t think that Graham was afraid but there’s no need to be afraid,” he said. “I’m here to deliver. I’m not here as a talisman or for murals on a house wall. I’m here to deliver. I know that 100 percent. There’s nothing else in my mind.”
The Premier League has had a record 12 managers sacked this season, which Klopp described as an “awful number”.
“It is how it is. Some clubs are under achieving, definitely us too... There are expectations out there, rightly so, and if you don’t reach them, then you have to accept the decisions,” he said.
Klopp, 55, who has been Liverpool manager since 2015, reiterated his commitment to the club. “I’m fully in,” he said. “There’s no doubt about that. We have to sort it. We cannot just continue playing like we do from time to time, not always, thank God, but from time to time and that’s not allowed really. I’m really disappointed about us that we do these kinds of things but it has happened so now we have to find a way out and that’s what we are constantly working on.”

Interim coach Saltor calls on Chelsea ‘to keep process going’
Chelsea need to keep moving ahead one step at a time after the sacking of manager Graham Potter, interim coach Bruno Saltor said as he bids to engineer a turnaround in fortunes for the Premier League club.
Saltor, who coached at Brighton & Hove Albion under Potter before following him to Stamford Bridge last year, took charge of the London club as interim coach after the Englishman’s departure. He will face a stern test in his first game in charge at home Liverpool, who sit four points above Chelsea.
“If I’m here right now it’s because Graham and the club thought it was the right step. I’m just here to help the club in the best way I can,” Saltor told reporters. “I’m here right now, trying to keep the process going. I think Graham did an amazing job. Football is a really complex business and we have to keep going,” the Spaniard added.
“I couldn’t see the players yet. We have an afternoon session planned. At the end of the day all of us are responsible, we have to focus on tomorrow’s game and that’s the energy we’re working on. (The players) will be sad as well... I spoke to the owners, they’ve been supportive. I’m focused on training today, match today and afterwards step by step.”
Chelsea’s managerial position has been the subject of much discussion over the past 24 hours, with Julian Nagelsmann, Brendan Rodgers and Luis Enrique among the names linked with the job.
Asked if he could emerge as a candidate for the role, Saltor said: “It’s something I can’t control. I’m focusing on what I can control and going day by day. It’s a massive challenge. I’ve been coaching just four years but 24 years involved in football, a lot of experience in changing rooms, trying to help players, guide players because I’ve been in those situations before.”
Chelsea next face a Liverpool side who have lost their last three games in all competitions. “I have pure admiration towards Juergen Klopp,” Saltor said. “They are going through a tough season as well but they’ve got top players and we’re expecting an aggressive game, high intensity.”