Gabby Agbonlahor says Jurgen Klopp was to blame for Liverpool's performance against Aston Villa

Liverpool were held to a 1-1 draw against Aston Villa in a game they must have won to keep themselves in the Premier League top-four race. Now the chances to qualify for the Champions League are slim and Gabby Agbonlahor insists that it's Jurgen Klopp and his touchline ban that is to blame for the stalemate.

“Jurgen Klopp today, if I go back to Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool, they lacked intensity, they lacked creativity for at least the first 70 minutes,” he said on Sunday’s Weekend Breakfast.

“That came from Jurgen Klopp not being able to keep his mouth shut. He gets a ban, he’s in the stands, not on the sideline.

“Them players don’t put in that performance if Jurgen Klopp’s on that sideline, he wouldn’t allow it.”

The Liverpool manager is serving a two-match ban for his comments about referee Paul Tierney after the Tottenham game. Agbonlahor believes Klopp should have been given a stricter punishment.

'Why doesn’t he get another ban for running up to the 4th official and goading in his face?!" Agbonlahor said.

"You can't do that. The fourth official has no say in the game. He doesn't deserve that treatment from Jurgen Klopp. I think he deserves a longer ban and a bigger fine."