Jurgen Klopp Suggests Leicester Players Not to Blame for Claudio Ranieri Sacking

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has suggested it was Leicester City's board and not their players who were responsible for manager Claudio Ranieri's sacking.

Ranieri guided Leicester to a stunning Premier League title last season but was dismissed on Thursday after a dismal defence of the trophy, which sees them in the relegation zone ahead of Monday's clash against Klopp's side.

The Times' Matt Hughes reported some senior Foxes players had met with the board to discuss Ranieri's position, and it was suggested they were partly to blame for the Italian's dismissal. 

Per David Maddock of the Mirror, Reds' manager Klopp said:

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Players are not more powerful. We were much more powerful in the past. It depends always on the board. If there is a direct way to the board—if the owners sit with the players and ask 'how are you?' and they say 'not too good' and it is 'why?'—'because of the manager'.

It is not about how powerful. The players need to be powerful but not in sacking managers. They never did it. It's not like the Leicester players did it or something. It is if someone asked they gave an answer.

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Klopp also touched on his previous relationships with club owners, adding: "I have never had this situation. There is never a direct line to the owner or whatever. As long as the players talk together, there is no problem. If they start talking about you? For this you need an ear on the other side."

Indeed, some questions were raised over the lack of immediate reaction from Leicester's players following their manager's sacking.

Daniel Taylor of the Guardian noted: "The vast majority of Leicester's players have clearly found it too arduous to tap in a few weasel words on the Twitter accounts where they promote their sponsorship deals, their wealth and offer vacuous, stage-managed cliches about all sorts of other trivialities."

A couple of days after the news broke, both Kasper Schmeichel and Jamie Vardy denied there had been a rift between players and management. Per BBC Sport, goalkeeper Schmeichel said there was "no problem."

Vardy meanwhile posted a message on Instagram:

In the case of Leicester and Ranieri, parallels can arguably be drawn with the dismissal of Jose Mourinho at Chelsea, just seven months after winning the 2014-15 Premier League title.

As reportedly happened with Leicester, it was viewed that key Chelsea players did not perform to their previous high levels as they no longer apparently trusted in Mourinho's methods.

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Ranieri's sacking was similar to say the least. While his was clearly an unexpected title win, it was probably not anticipated that the Foxes would struggle as much as they have done this term.

If the delayed player denials are to be believed, then it is likely a combination of performance dropping off and opposition teams being a touch more savvy against City's counter-attacking style of play that condemned Ranieri to an unwelcome exit. 

Despite his sympathy towards Ranieri's departure, Liverpool will be looking to add to Leicester's miserable campaign with victory at the King Power Stadium.

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The corresponding fixture last season saw Vardy score twice, including a stunning volley in a 2-0 victory.

The off-the-pitch dramas make for an interesting matchup. Both sides arguably have weaknesses at the back, and much could depend on how Leicester's players respond to the recent criticism.

It may prove to be the spark that ignites Vardy and his team-mates into life. But for Klopp and Liverpool, it is perhaps the ideal time to face the Foxes away as they bid to get their own top-four challenge back on track.