Klopp wants 'more greed' to end Liverpool scoring woes

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has called on his players to become "more greedy" as he attempts to end their poor form in front of goal this season.

The Reds have netted only four goals from their last seven matches in all competitions - and their Premier League record of 22 goals from 20 games is their worst-ever scoring return.

Danny Ings, Divock Origi and Daniel Sturridge are all currently sidelined through injury, meaning Christian Benteke is the only fit senior striker available to Klopp ahead of the first leg of their League Cup semi-final against Stoke City on Tuesday.

"The mother of all goals is the opportunities, the chances, so we have to have them and then you have to use them," Klopp told a pre-match press conference.

"We need to be more concentrated, be more greedy, be more disciplined, be more everything.

"There are a lot of goals scored from set pieces in the Premier League, not only against us. In all the games, we had situations when we’ve been in a position to score in these situations so we have to do this more often.

"We are often in situations where we can score goals and we do not use them. You need confidence, you need to run. We made goals in several games, six against Southampton and things like this, so we know where the goal is, that is the good thing.

"But we have things to work on. We have big problems with injuries with the strikers so we have to work, it is not dreamland. We know the numbers and it is not good, but we can do better."

Klopp admitted his team must improve on their performance in the 2-0 defeat to West Ham on Saturday to have a chance of progressing to Wembley.

"We have to change," he added. "If we play like this then it is possible for everybody to win against us and that is not allowed.

"I always say the truth to the players. If I'm satisfied in what I'm seeing then I'm not interested in the result. I mean, I'm interested in the result but you have to have two views on the game so even when we have won I will say the truth.

"After West Ham I really was not satisfied because it was not enough so we had a talk about this and now we have to take the next chance, which is against Stoke."

He continued: "I felt responsible at West Ham.

"That's how I am. I always feel much more responsible for defeats than for victories because I think about what I should have done differently before a game to avoid situations like that around the West Ham goals.

"It is easy for a manager to say 'I cannot score the goals or defend the goals' - that is only part of the truth. If it was the whole truth then why are we so well paid? We have to be responsible for the common things."