Jurgen Klopp ‘didn’t want to see players for 2 days’ after Wolves defeat

Speaking to reporters ahead of Monday’s Merseyside derby at Anfield, Jurgen Klopp opened up on why he granted Liverpool’s players two days off after their 3-0 defeat to Wolves.

With nine days between matches, the Reds have had plenty of time to prepare for the visit of Sean Dyche’s side.

And despite another embarrassing performance at Molineux, after a debrief at the AXA Training Centre last Sunday, Klopp made the decision to hand his squad two days off on Monday and Tuesday.

The Liverpool boss believes both he and the players benefited from a short break, admitting he left the training ground in “an average mood” last Sunday.

“In Germany, this question would have come much earlier,” Klopp said when asked why the players were given some time off earlier this week.

“[They would say]: ‘How can you give them two days off in the situation you’re in?!’. In England you’re relaxed about that, to be honest.

“You cannot train every day. We played bad at Wolves, the next day we came in and did the analysis, we spoke to each other, and then we gave them two days off because it’s a very long time between Saturday and Monday.

“But of course, I could have said ‘Sunday training, recovery or whatever, and then from Monday on we go for them’.

“That wouldn’t have been helpful at all. It would have been bad, it would have caused injuries, it would have caused a lot of problems.

“And to be honest, on Sunday, after we spoke about everything, I thought 100 percent that it makes sense if we don’t see each other for two days, and it was helpful.

BRIGHTON & HOVE, ENGLAND - Saturday, January 14, 2023: Liverpool's manager Jürgen Klopp applauds the travelling supporters after the FA Premier League match between Brighton & Hove Albion FC and Liverpool FC at the Falmer Stadium. Brighton won 3-0. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

“I left on Sunday in an average mood, and came back and I was in a good mood.

“I worked through it, I had a lot of phone calls and stuff like this, but I was in a much better mood, a completely different mood to be honest, and that’s why it was very helpful.

“So yes, they benefited from it, so that was very good.”

Upon their return on Wednesday, the Reds were boosted by Diogo Jota‘s involvement in training, with Klopp revealing the forward is in contention for a place in the squad against Everton on Monday.

Roberto Firmino and Arthur look to be the next in line to return, with Virgil van Dijk also making good progress, but Thiago looks set for a spell on the sidelines with a hip problem.