Jurgen Klopp Claims Criticism Towards Liverpool Defender Was 'Never Fair' Despite Shaky Showings

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has come to the defence of left-back Alberto Moreno, claiming the criticism levied towards the player was always unjustified and unfair. 

The 25-year-old has made just one appearance since the Reds' 7-0 annihilation of Spartak Moscow in the Champions League last December - largely through injury - which has afforded summer signing Andy Robertson the opportunity to prove his worth to the Kopites. 

However, despite the Scot's rise, the Anfield manager, while speaking to the Liverpool Echo, has revealed he still believes the Spanish defender has an imperative role in the future of the club and the criticism directed towards in the past him was "never fair". 

“The way people talk about Alberto Moreno, I hope it has settled a little bit but it was never fair, that’s just how it is”, Klopp said while watching over his side at their warm-weather training camp in Marbella.

“If you see Alberto Moreno training, there’s nobody in the squad has a shadow of a doubt about him quality-wise.

“He’s an unbelievably strong player and he didn’t deliver all the time, that’s true, but at the beginning of the season he was so strong for us.

“There was one game where he dropped and everybody was saying it was exactly like it was before.

“Obviously, life as a football player is not always fair, but in that time if we would have played Robbo instead of him - no chance to convince anybody, he was not ready for that.”

Moreno has been in full training since January and recorded 90 minutes in his side's FA Cup exit last month. However, with Robertson's success since making his first XI spot his own, the Spaniard may well be forced to wait a little while longer before recording any further first-team minutes.