Jurgen Klopp is ready to see a reaction from his side at Brighton and also offered a somewhat worrisome update on Mohamed Salah‘s contract situation.
Here are six key points from the boss as he looked ahead to the trip to Brighton:
Take it or leave it for Salah?
Mohamed Salah‘s contract remains unresolved and the longer no news emerges, the more concerns grow and Klopp was again asked about the situation on Friday.
And his response did not exactly remove concerns regarding the situation as the ball is in Salah’s court, even though the No. 11 said the exact opposite a few months back.
“We cannot do much more that’s how it is but I don’t think it’s about that.
“It’s Mo’s decision, pretty much. The club did what the club can do, there’s nothing bad to say about it. It’s all fine.
“Nothing happened further, no signing or rejection or whatever, we just have to wait for that. It’s all completely fine. There’s no rush in that situation.”
Covid concerns
While the boss provided the welcome update that Roberto Firmino “is back” and in contention for Brighton, there are COVID issues for players and staff.
“We had a few little things but so far nobody is out of training. We have on top of that, Covid is not over so we have/had these things as well.
“We try absolutely everything to avoid this but not absolutely possible. Player and staff no symptoms, that’s good.”
Ibrahima Konate is suspected to be one possible case having missed the visit of Inter and training on Thursday.
Virgil van Dijk and Thiago could also have tested positive after not being sighted with the rest of the group, but an extra recovery session could have also been in order.
‘We will try everything’
Liverpool have another chance to cut the deficit to Man City to three points and it’s an opportunity that cannot be missed, with Pep Guardiola’s side to play on Monday night.
The margin for error is small but Klopp is not taking any game for granted knowing how tough the league is.
“I hope so [that race will go to the end], but I don’t know. Everyone is excited about having the opportunity for a title race, our problem is we have to play Brighton and then Arsenal away.
“In all the thoughts of a lot of people it’s, ‘three points, three points’. But there’s 90 and another 90 minutes – so far the boys did incredibly well so why should I think we cannot go on?
“We will try everything.”
The situation at Chelsea
Roman Abramovich had his assets frozen by the UK government over his ties to Vladimir Putin on Thursday, with the sanctions having a direct implication on Chelsea.
On the matter, Klopp said: “For him [Tuchel] and the players and employees, not a situation they are responsible for. One man is really responsible, Vladimir Putin in the first place.
“I don’t know about Abramovich’s role in all these kind of things but over the years, you could guess that maybe he’s pretty close.
“I think what the British government did is right, to be 100 percent honest. But it is still not cool for all the people at Chelsea and the supporters.”
The ‘brilliant’ Diaz
It’s been a seamless transition for Luis Diaz into this Liverpool side and the manager is enjoying it as much as we are!
“Good, great, outstanding, [impact],” he said of the No. 23.
“Surprisingly quick, and everything you would wish for. You never know when you sign a player how quick it will go.
“Luis has so many things he needs to have an impact here and we saw that in the first moment, then there’s a difference between seeing it in training and bringing it on the pitch.
“You get what you see. Brilliant, so far.” Another start on Saturday?
‘Not good losers!’
It was the first defeat after 12 wins against Inter and only the third of the season but it is still “enough” for Klopp, “more than enough.”
“We are not good losers,” Klopp said. “Usually after the game I have a little speech in the dressing room, most of the time quite nice to tell the boys how good they were.
“This game was slightly different but in the end, when I looked in their eyes I was in a better mood than the players. My first thought, we are through. The boy’s first thought was how we lost.
“We have to show a reaction and I’m pretty sure we will.”
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