Jurgen Klopp blames Liverpool midfielders as well as defenders for five-goal thrashing at Manchester City

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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has pointed the finger of blame at his midfielders just as much as his defenders for their awful display at Manchester City on Saturday.

The Reds were already 1-0 down when Sadio Mane was controversially sent off on 37 minutes and they went on to concede four more as Klopp suffered his heaviest ever defeat as manager of the Anfield outfit.

City tore Liverpool apart at will and the scoreline could have been even more one-sided were it not for Simon Mignolet, who made five saves.

Jurgen Klopp was not happy with his midfielders or defenders after Saturday's loss at Man City

Liverpool lost 5-0 to City and Klopp believes his players gave their opponents too much space

Sergio Aguero scored the opener and Klopp said: 'The first goal was so easy to defend'

Mignolet was faultless at the Etihad Stadium, but the same cannot be said of his team-mates.

Speaking after the dust had settled on his side's thrashing, Klopp bemoaned the way Liverpool defended, both before and after Mane's dismissal. 

Klopp told the Liverpool Echo: 'If we lose the ball in the middle, then they can play the ball there. City are always playing like this. They use opportunities like this pretty well.

'The first goal was so easy to defend... push up! Then two players are offside. 

'But we didn't, and that's what the first half was like, we weren't compact enough and didn't cause them enough problems. I was not happy, but I also realise we had those kind of situations going forward too.

'City is very offensive-oriented and we are very offensive-oriented. And if players are properly defending in midfield (you have a better chance) – we are usually much better at that than we were against City.'

Four of City's goals came after Sadio Mane was shown a straight red card by referee Jon Moss

Mane was dismissed after injuring City goalkeeper Ederson with a dangerous high challenge

Liverpool could have lost by a greater margin were it not for fine saves by Simon Mignolet