Liverpool’s assistant manager Peter Krawietz took on media duties on Saturday and was rather tight-lipped over the squad for Shrewsbury, which has required the club to look “nearly everywhere” for players.
Here are four key points from Krawietz as he previewed Sunday’s game:
Can’t tell us exact numbers…
It’s been days of uncertainty regarding which players have entered isolation following the Chelsea game amid a severe outbreak of Covid.
It’s left fans and the opposition in the dark as to who could possibly feature against Shrewsbury and just when it looked like new information could be delivered, Krawietz kept tight-lipped.
“I can’t tell you exact numbers,” he said. “We had a couple of injuries, illness, COVID cases and this is the situation we have to deal with.
“We still have to wait for a few results as well, the players are not here [yet] for today, so they have to do their test before they can join the building and this is why I cannot speak about the exact numbers.
“We are searching for options for this game and for the squad, nearly everywhere. But we found enough players to build a team and to have a squad.”
But he did nod to 2 players…
That being Leighton Clarkson, fresh from his loan return at Blackburn, and Joel Matip, who was able to leave isolation on Friday.
The former is expected to be part of the matchday squad, with the assistant manager saying: “We have one loan player back and he will probably join the squad.”
But for Matip it will be a case of assessing if he can come straight back into the team after testing positive for Covid.
“Joel Matip was back in training yesterday [Friday], but have to see if he is available tomorrow or not.”
What about January transfers?
Krawietz batted away the January transfer question with relative ease, reciting an answer that often Jurgen Klopp comes to the table with when the topic of signings is posed to him.
“It’s a long term club decision, but we take the situation [AFCON/Covid] like it is,” Krawietz said of the winter window.
“We knew about this situation for a few months, especially the African players to play this tournament and are hopefully successful, and the Covid situation is like it is.
“If it is necessary to react in the transfer market, it is of course a club decision. We have to discuss that.”
A message for the youngsters set to feature
It’s a squad set to boast players from the under-18s and under-23s and for many, it could very well be their first taste of senior action with the club.
There will be at least a sprinkle of senior experience and they’ll have an important job alongside the coaches to boost their confidence.
“I hope they can’t wait until the game starts and it is the opposite of being nervous. We try to make them as confident as they should be and it is not about trying to avoid mistakes.
“We can’t expect a perfect set-up tomorrow but we can expect the perfect reaction.
“We try to have a proper team performance with experienced leaders and young players. They will feel the support of our supporters.”
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