Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp lays down the challenge to both his players and the club’s fans as his injury-hit side host Luton.
Jurgen Klopp insists neither his players nor the Anfield crowd can feel sorry for themselves when an injury-hit Liverpool host Luton Town.
Klopp gears up for the visit of Rob Edwards’s Hatters on Wednesday without at least eight of his first-team stars to choose from in Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joel Matip, Dominik Szoboszlai, Thiago Alcantara and Stefan Bajcetic alongside Diogo Jota and Curtis Jones, who both joined the list of absentees after Saturday’s bruising 4-1 win over Brentford.
Klopp will also make a late call on both Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez and with Sunday’s Carabao Cup final with Chelsea firmly in sight, changes could be made against a side who come to Anfield in the relegation zone.
But the Reds manager insists whoever gets the call will be fully prepared to collect another big three points in their efforts to win the Premier League for what would be the second and final time under the German.
“I don’t give messages in press conferences to the squad,” Klopp said. “I hope the squad doesn’t watch it to be honest. Sometimes I realise Virgil (Van Dijk) has seen it because he comes to me (laughing) but I hope the majority don’t watch it. No, I don’t give messages.
“What I want to say is whatever line-up we have tomorrow night, I want people not to be in a situation where they are like: ‘Oh he’s out, he’s out, he’s out’. Because a couple of players will be out, that is definitely the case. A few players will be out. I mentioned them anyway.
“It is bad luck, yes but it is absolutely our job tomorrow night to be as strong as possible and if we play at home I have to ask for the support. If we are in a good mood and go for it but the crowd thinks: ‘Yes, but he would have scored there’ then that is a problem. Whoever plays will run his socks off that is clear.”
Klopp added: “All the players who are fit are incredibly important for us, if there is a position where we have options, we have to share game time in the next few days. If not, we have to see if the boys can play through it and Lucho (Luis Diaz) with his quality there was never a doubt about.
“He was always incredible. He is in a really good moment in general but it is just the way he is. He is an incredibly strong player, incredibly important in all areas.”
