Liverpool assistant manager Pepijn Lijnders has hailed Divock Origi as a “world-class finisher,” praising him and Takumi Minamino for taking their chances when they come.
Origi and Minamino are both set to come into the lineup when the Reds visit Preston in the fourth round of the League Cup on Wednesday night.
The pair can be expected to join Sadio Mane in the forward line as Jurgen Klopp considers making wholesale changes from the side that thrashed Man United 5-0 on Sunday.
It will be their first starts since the 3-0 win at Norwich in the third round, with Origi and Minamino limited to a single substitute outing against Porto each in the time between then and now.
For Origi, it will be a return to the competition he has excelled in during his time at Liverpool, with only six players netting more than his 10 goals in the League Cup in the club’s 129-year history.
“Divock is our top scorer in this league,” Lijnders told reporters on Tuesday. “I think he’s the top scorer from overseas players in this league as well.
“What I like about Taki and Divock is that even when they didn’t get their chance, they trained with all they had.
“That’s why they are at the level they are at the moment. They look really sharp.
“Divock is one of the world’s best finishers – and we’ve worked with quite a few, at different clubs!
“He’s an absolute world-class finisher, it’s just to get him in these positions, of course.”
To be considered a ‘League Cup player’ is unlikely to be the ambition of any of the senior options in Klopp’s squad, but Lijnders insists the likes of Origi and Minamino will get more chances as the campaign unfolds.
“The last season has proved that we will need all of our players,” he continued.
“One moment you think you are not necessary, then you have to play three, four games. It happened already this season with a few players.
“So everybody has to be ready, has to show this mentality, if you want to play for a big club you have to train how they are training.
“Taki against Norwich was a great example of how he easily fits into our starting lineup.
“It’s just: stay patient, keep training in the way they are training.
“That’s the most important, to train really hard, really good, really sharp, because then you are ready when your chance is coming.”
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