Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp slams Gabby Agbonlahor

Jurgen Klopp has aimed a broadside at former Aston Villa striker Gabby Agbonlahor following the radio pundit’s call for Erik ten Hag to quit after Manchester United’s 4-0 humiliation at Brentford.

The Liverpool manager claimed he nearly called talksport to complain after listening to Agbonlahor’s criticism as he drove home from training last Saturday evening.

Agbonlahor said: ‘If I was them now after this game I’d be thinking, “You know what, Ten Hag, just pack up”. He’s had pre-season and they have started the season as a shambles, they’re like strangers on the pitch.’

Jurgen Klopp slammed Gabby Agbonlahor for his comments after Manchester United lost to Brentford

The talkSPORT pundit incensed Klopp who said he almost called up the radio station

But Klopp reminded Agbonlahor he was in the Villa team beaten 6-0 by Liverpool at Villa Park in February 2016 and questioned his mentality that day — he was substituted after 58 minutes and Villa were relegated at the end of the season.

‘What he said about United, I was close to calling in and telling him, “you have forgotten completely that you have been a player”,’ said Klopp.

‘He lost against us 6-0 in my first year (at Liverpool). I couldn’t remember him as a “mentality monster” on the pitch. It was unbelievable (what he said). If ex-players are going already like this, you can imagine how everything else is going.’

Klopp leapt to the defence of Erik ten Hag’s side and couldn’t believe what Agbonlahor said

Klopp took a dig at the former Villa star saying ‘he didn’t remember him as a mentality monster’

Agbonlahor (right) responded to Klopp’s remarks by tweeting a picture of when he scored the only goal in Villa’s 1-0 win at Anfield in September 2014.

Despite United’s nightmare start, Klopp is wary of a backlash when Liverpool go to Old Trafford on Monday — when a first win for Ten Hag would lift them above the Merseyside club in the Premier League table.

He does not believe Liverpool’s thumping wins last season over their historic rivals — 5-0 at Old Trafford followed by 4-0 at Anfield — will have any bearing on this contest. And he insists he would have preferred it if United were going into the game after a 5-0 win rather than their sorry capitulation in London.

‘Just ask yourself how would you want to react in a situation like that and you would, of course, fight back and that is what we expect,’ he added.

Agbonlahor said that Ten Hag’s team were ‘like strangers on the pitch’ and ‘amateur’

‘When we had the two results last season I knew it would not help this time. I couldn’t be less interested in the results from last season. It helps United to be more motivated.

‘This is a completely different game in a completely different situation. United can change nothing or everything, so it’s tricky preparation-wise. It’s early and we don’t have a lot of info. It’s tough, United away will never be easy.

‘I’d prefer to play them after they win 5-0 but it isn’t dreamland.

‘We have drawn twice too, so is it better to play us? I don’t know. Let’s see how these heavyweights deal with it.’

Liverpool defender Joe Gomez is set for a recall in place of Nat Phillips, while Roberto Firmino is fit again and could replace the suspended Darwin Nunez.