Liverpool are without four players for today’s match at Tottenham due to positive covid tests, plus four more through illness or injury.
But, speaking ahead of kick-off in London, Klopp confirmed that the club did not request a postponement of the match and says that “we have to fight through this.”
The manager last week said he wasn’t sure if a so-called ‘circuit-breaker’ of postponing games would be beneficial, with the situation not going to disappear in a week or a month’s time.
Liverpool lost Virgil van Dijk, Fabinho and Curtis Jones ahead of Thursday’s match against Newcastle, and Klopp explained how Thiago tested positive on Saturday – the day the squad travelled down to London.
Meanwhile, Jordan Henderson is also out do to illness, while Nat Phillips and Harvey Elliott remain sidelined through injury also.
Missing his first-choice midfield, Klopp has taken a proactive approach, bringing in teenager Tyler Morton for his Premier League debut alongside Naby Keita and James Milner – neither of whom have started in over a month due to injuries.
“I’m happy to play,” Klopp told Sky Sports ahead of kick-off. “I think we have to fight through this. But again, there is next week [if] we lose the next player and another player, then the 26th and 28th is not possible.
“I’m happy with playing football as much as we can, but we need help.”
Liverpool are scheduled to play at home to Leeds on the 26 December and away to Leicester on the 28th – more positive cases would surely put those games in jeapordy.
That Van Dijk and Fabinho tested positive on the morning of the 16th means they are seemingly out vs. Leeds, while Thiago is out both Leeds and Leicester.
The next game after that is Chelsea (away) on January 2nd.
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