Jurgen Klopp has reacted to criticism of Liverpool’s recent form, saying he has not become a bad manager overnight.

Liverpool, who visit Brighton in the FA Cup fourth round on Sunday, are ninth in the Premier League and 10 points off the top four.

Last season they were two games away from a quadruple.

“I didn’t become a bad manager overnight. I was never as good as people probably said and not as bad as some people might think,” he said.

Klopp signed a contract extension in April until 2026, after arriving at Liverpool in October 2015.

He has won every major trophy available to Liverpool, including the Champions League in 2019 and Premier League in 2021.

“Last year was super-intense, much longer than we could have expected because who expects to get into four finals?” Klopp said before Liverpool’s FA Cup meeting with Brighton on Sunday.

“That it [this season] would be difficult was clear, but with lesser injuries we could easily have four or five points more. We still don’t play a brilliant season but we would be around fighting for the Champions League and that’s a normal season.

“Imagine [last season] we win all four [trophies] and I say, ‘see you all later’. Imagine you see a different face here and he tells you all these things. No-one would listen.

“It’s tough, I’m sorry, but we will go for it with all we have to get out of it and then to do it in a way that people can’t wait to go to the stadium again.

“How you behave and how you deal with the situation in these moments decides about the future as well.”