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Jurgen Klopp's tactics to blame for Liverpool injuries - Sam Allardyce

Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce has blamed Jurgen Klopp's tactics for Liverpool's current injury crisis.

Liverpool's 1-0 win in the first leg of their Capital One Cup match at Stoke on Tuesday was marred by injuries to Philippe Coutinho and Dejan Lovren.

Reds midfielder Adam Lallana said manager Klopp's training regime is not to blame for the spate of hamstring problems at the club.

But Allardyce, who recently called Klopp a "soft German," said in The Times: "That is him [Klopp] asking his players to play a high-tempo pressing game from the top end.

"It's great that the players have been able to carry it out but I think it [fatigue] has kicked in now."

Former Newcastle boss Allardyce added: "I don't think Jurgen has realised just how ferocious our league is at this period of time and because he has asked for that extra high energy, that extra 10 yards these lads are fatiguing now with so many games in such a short period of time and picking up these muscle strains.

"They are highly trained athletes, more than ever before, and they become more susceptible to injuries by the amount of work they do in a game now."

Coutinho and Lovren join Origi, Jon Flanagan, Mamadou Sakho, Martin Skrtel, Joe Gomez, Jordan Henderson, Jordan Rossiter, Daniel Sturridge and Danny Ings on Liverpool's ever-lengthening injury list.

In light of the absentees, the Reds are reportedly looking to recall Sheyi Ojo from his loan spell at Wolves and Tiago Ilori's loan at Aston Villa.