NewsJürgen Klopp press conference: Burnley test, left-back selection and Jota return
Jürgen Klopp is anticipating facing a Burnley side with increased confidence when Liverpool travel to Turf Moor for the Boxing Day fixture.
The Clarets will go into the game on the back of a 2-0 win at Fulham on Saturday – and the boss wasn’t surprised by that result as he detailed the qualities he expects to encounter against them.
Elsewhere, Klopp discussed the left-back situation in his pre-Burnley media briefing, with Kostas Tsimikas joining Andy Robertson on the sidelines after sustaining a broken collarbone during the 1-1 Anfield draw with Arsenal, as well as the possibility of a potential return for Diogo Jota.
Read on to see what the manager had to say…
On the challenge of facing Burnley on the back of their win at Fulham…
I don’t need the Fulham result to understand Burnley’s quality. I think Burnley could have easily had much more points because they had so many good spells in the games where they then don’t finish these situations off. Young players in some positions. In the moment they finish these situations off, they can win football games, definitely. It was very often that they were really good in the game and I respect Vinny [Kompany] a lot for [the fact that] he keeps pushing his idea through.
I knew before that they are much better than the position and the points they have. I have watched quite a few Burnley games and I am pretty impressed by what they are doing – and on Saturday they got then the reward. We all know if you win once and you have a chance to play in three days again then you will want to win again and that’s exactly what we expect – and a pretty good atmosphere as well. We better be, and will be, ready.
On whether Joe Gomez will fill in at left-back while Robertson and Tsimikas are out…
We will see. Can Joey play all the games coming up now until – I don’t know when – Robbo will be back? Kosti is now definitely out for a while, so I don’t know, we have to see. I didn’t have time now to think it through, but somebody will play the position I am pretty sure. It is for us obviously really tough, it’s really tough. You have injuries sometimes and we accept all of them, but a broken collarbone is really bad because it just takes long. Same what Robbo had: a different injury but that takes long as well, how we all know. We all know we need luck in these moments to get through and now we will have Joey there and just have to make sure we put him in cotton wool and we have to make sure he is always ready for the games.
On whether Jota could return at Turf Moor…
I don’t want to rule out anybody now. We will see. He didn’t train with the team yet and we have only one proper session, so it would be a surprise – but maybe I will be surprised and all fine. I don’t know. I saw him [on Friday]; he didn’t train with the team but the session I saw was really intense, but I didn’t ask yet who will be available. The medical department will tell me and then I will know more.
