Sport
UNDER PRESSURE- KLOPP VS WENGER
Jurgen Klopp and Arsene Wenger go into this weekend’s meeting between Liverpool and Arsenal both needing morale-boosting wins, but who is actually under the most pressure?
The two managers have found themselves under growing scrutiny after failing to keep pace with Premier League leaders Chelsea and seeing their challenge for the title fall by the way side.
New year’s collapse
2017 has not been a good year so far for both clubs and both managers putting even more emphasis on Saturday’s clash in the quest for a top four finish.
In that this fixture is now seen as a top four battle rather than a title showdown illustrates how things have unravelled for both teams in recent month.
After last month’s humbling by Bayern Munich in the Champions League Wenger’s future at Arsenal was brought into question after 20 years at the helm in North London.
Arsenal fans are growing angry and disillusioned that another season of promise is threatening to turn into another campaign of failure.
Contract expiring
Wenger’s current deal expires at the end of the season and the Frenchman has admitted he plans to continue in management next season at Arsenal or somewhere else.
The Frenchman says he will make a decision on his future in April and the next two months could be pivotal not just for Wenger, but also for the long-term future of Arsenal.
Arsenal have qualified for the Champions League every season under Wenger, but that record of finishing in the top four could face its toughest examination yet.
Fading title credentials
For Liverpool they could only wish to have the consistency of Arsenal in qualifying for the Champions League every season with the five-time European champions having dined at Europe’s top table just one in the past six seasons.
After making progress last season in leading Liverpool to two finals, only to lose them, Klopp was expected to lead a charge towards a return to the Champions League and everything looked bright at the turn of the year with Liverpool in title contention.
However, in the last two month’s Liverpool’s form and with it their aspirations have taken a turn for the worst.
Slipping away
Liverpool have won just one Premier League game in 2017 to slip out of contention for the title and to make matters worse they have crashed out of both cup competitions.
17 months into his reign at Anfield and the honeymoon is well and truly over for Klopp.
Liverpool missed the chance to put the pressure on their top-four rivals with an abject display in the defeat to relegation-threatened Leicester.
Under Klopp Liverpool have the best record when they come up against their top six rivals, but it is against the ‘so-called’ smaller teams that Liverpool come unstuck.
Four of Liverpool’s five Premier League defeats have come against sides in the drop zone and it is starting to wear thin on the patience of the Anfield faithful.
There have been too many false dawns for both clubs this season and finishing in the top four is a minimum requirement for both clubs if they are to keep pace with their big-spending rivals next season.
Top four clash
Saturday’s showdown could go a long way to deciding who will finish in the top four and it is a game that neither Wenger or Klopp can afford to lose or the scrutiny will only be intensified for the losing manager.
The corresponding fixture was on the opening day of the season when there was so much hope and so much expectation for both clubs, but now in March that all seems a distant memory for both sets of fans and the two respective managers.
