Jurgen Klopp was back in front of the press less than 12 hours after Liverpool’s latest win, this time looking ahead to the trip to Burnley on Sunday.
Here are four key things from the manager ahead of another Premier League match:
EVERY player available!
Has that ever been the case for Klopp, at least in recent memory it hasn’t.
But with Sadio Mane returning to team training on Friday and Jordan Henderson to be back from his minor back issue from the Cardiff game, Liverpool have no players in the treatment room.
Joe Gomez and Divock Origi were the notable casualties from the matchday squad against Leicester, even though fit and well, and more are to have the same fate on Sunday with 25 senior players fit and ready.
‘One of the best first games’
“It was one of the best first games I ever saw from a new player, that’s true because it looks completely natural,” Klopp said of Diaz after his maiden start for the Reds.
High praise indeed and hard to dispute such was the seamless transition into the side for the new No. 23, who came close to his first goal against the Foxes.
“It’s only the first game and we have to see how he will adapt to all the different stuff and intensity in the Premier League. There’s no rush.”
It’s all very positive on the Diaz front and instantly gives the attack another valuable option at a time when the margin for error is so small.
Options!
Speaking of the aforementioned clean bill of health across the squad, Klopp is welcoming the options he has in the forward line having often been on the other side of the coin.
“It’s good to have options with the quality the boys have. It’s the first time that they are all fit,” Klopp said.
“Taki is in a good moment, Div, when he trains, is always like ‘why is he not playing?’, Ox played up front a really good part – it’s what we need!
“We had times when we had this chat group where we share all information around the team and in this chat the players who are not available or not in the squad send a message of ‘good luck boys.’
“We had times where 13, 14 players were texting, meaning they were not available for us!”
The question now is, who will start at Burnley?
A different approach, of course!
Burnley are Burnley, you get what you see and Klopp had a swift response to if his side requires a different physical and mental approach for the clash.
That being a deep belly laugh and a firm, “YES.”
New signing Wout Weghorst is one such player the Reds will need to manage, with their entire team to “ask for all physicality you can put in a game. We just have to be aware and be focused.”
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