'No team can go without a dip in form': Ex-Liverpool stars Emile Heskey and Jason McAteer address team's recent defeats

New Delhi: Liverpool’s dream run of staying unbeaten for 44 games in the ongoing Premier League season finally came to an end with a 0-3 defeat at Watford .

Not only did that defeat end their hopes of emulating Arsenal’s invincibles run in the 2003-04 season, but it came at a time when Jurgen Klopp’s side seem to have hit a speed-breaker of sorts — with the side also losing to Atletico Madrid (0-1) in the first leg of their Round of 16 Champions League clash as well as to Chelsea (0-2) in the FA Cup fifth round clash.

As far as ex-Liverpool players Jason McAteer (1995-1999) and Emile Heskey (2000-2004) are concerned, the string of defeats does not take any of the sheen off the side that are one step away from their first title win in the Premier League era.

“It’s one of those things that you’d love to go a season unbeaten, but realistically you’ll have ups and downs. You will come up against adversity. How do you bounce back? Generally they bounce back very well so I see them bouncing back again, it’s not a major problem,” Heskey, who made 150 appearances under Gérard Houllier as a forward, told reporters in New Delhi while promoting the upcoming LFC World event that takes place in the national capital on Saturday.

McAteer, who represented the side for four seasons as a midfielder, added that Jordan Henderson’s injury has been costly for the side.

“No team can go a season without a dip in form, without a few results that go against them. It’s been difficult since the winter break; we’ve had a lot of chopping and changing and have travelled… Jordan Henderson is a big loss over the last couple of games, his leadership, mentality and what he brings to the team.

“Just because you lose a couple of games doesn’t mean all of a sudden you become a bad team. It just makes you stronger. You know, it would’ve been nice to go the season unbeaten — I never thought for one minute we could, I just think the competition is just too strong than what it was years ago when Arsenal did it,” said the Irishman, who represented his country 52 times between 1994 and 2004.

McAteer, for one, was full of praise for Klopp, under whom the side have undergone a radical transformation since the German took over the reigns of the club from Brendan Rodgers in 2015. Under Klopp, the team finished runners-up in the 2017-18 season of the UEFA Champions League, losing to Real Madrid in the final, before lifting the same trophy a year later with a 1-0 win over league rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

They were narrowly pipped by Manchester City in a thrilling race to the title in the 2018-19 season of the Premier League, but the Reds are now all but certain to win the title thanks to their 22-point lead over Pep Guardiola’s defending champions. For Liverpool, winning the title is just a matter of ‘when’, and not ‘if’.

“Why are they so far ahead this year? I think it’s more of a mentality thing that Jurgen’s built since he’s been there. It’s been nearly four-and-a-half years. Jurgen’s recruitment has been fantastic and he built this squad, not just the team, built this squad to cope with the demands of Cup competition and the Premier League. He’s a fantastic manager and he’s improved every player. I think now we’re just bearing the fruits of what for the last four years he’s done for us.

“I think tactically, he’s very astute as well. He has a fantastic team around him to help him out in that area. But I just think he’s the best at getting players to perform at their highest level for long periods,” said McAteer.

And it’s not just Klopp. McAteer believes the side have got title rivals City to thank for their own success as well.

“…I just think without City over the last two or three seasons, we wouldn’t be where we are. I think in sport, you need them rivalries, you need them opponents who push you to the maximum, who drive you to want to beat them. And they set the bar so high, it’s why we’re seeing Liverpool now breaking all the records.”

Both Heskey and McAteer will be present at the LFC World event that takes place at the Select CityWalk Mall in Vasant Kunj, New Delhi on Saturday. LFC World is now in its fourth season, having met thousands of fans in eight countries across the world since 2016.

“We know that not all of our supporters can make it to Anfield, so this is a great way to bring the club closer to them. I’m really excited to see Delhi and enjoy the activities and events on offer this Saturday alongside the fans,” said Heskey.