Jurgen Klopp believes the solutions to Liverpool’s midfield problems lie within his squad after admitting “it doesn’t look like something will happen” over a summer signing.
Thiago Alcantara has been ruled out for up to six weeks having limped off with a hamstring injury during their 2-2 draw with Fulham on the opening weekend of the Premier League season.
Liverpool were without fellow midfielders Naby Keita, Curtis Jones and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain due to injury and illness, although Keita will be involved for their Monday Night Football clash at home to Crystal Palace, live on Sky Sports.
Monday 15th August 7:00pm
Kick off 8:00pm
And Klopp has appeared to rule out the club dipping into the transfer market for midfield reinforcements.
“If there was the right player and an opportunity, we would have done it, we would do it, but I don’t see it because we had a lot of conversations already and it doesn’t look like something will happen,” he said.
“I’m happy with the strength, size and quality of my squad but we have injuries. There are plenty of solutions for it. One of them is the transfer market, but that only makes sense if you can bring in the right player.
“All the other solutions are inside the squad. We have too many injuries, that’s clear. Naby will be back for Monday and Kostas (Tsimikas) will train today for the first time so he might be back as well.”
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from the draw between Fulham and Liverpool in the Premier League.
Liverpool, uncharacteristically for Klopp’s side, started slowly and had to fight back twice at Fulham to earn a point against their newly-promoted opponents.
“We addressed it after the game. We had a slow start and I didn’t like it,” he said.
“I saw an attitude to fight back but it’s better to have intense and concentrated start. It took too long to switch on. We had to fight back and momentum was with Fulham.
“After 55 games [last season] you tell me we start slow!? You cannot play 63 games and be always superior, you fight through it somehow. We need to be awake before it starts. I don’t like you find one thing in the stats and tell me it as though it’s the truth, it’s not.”
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Jamie Carragher discusses Liverpool’s opening day draw at Fulham, whether they need to venture into the transfer market again and where the other challengers for the Premier League title may come from.
Although their first game at Anfield on Monday will come after the current heatwave, Klopp is not expecting an easy evening.
“It’s the same for Crystal Palace but much better of course to play at night-time,” he added. “It shouldn’t be a comfortable game at all.”
The new Premier League season with Sky Sports
- 128 exclusively live Premier League matches.
- First pick of matches for every weekend of the Premier League season.
- The best punditry team in football including Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher, Jamie Redknapp, Graeme Souness, Micah Richards and Roy Keane.
- Kelly Cates and David Jones will present our live coverage across Friday Night Football, Saturday Night Football, Super Sunday and Monday Night Football.
- In-game goals and clips for mobile devices from Sky Sports live matches.
- Extended highlights On Demand and our Premier League channel.
- Sky Sports is your ultimate destination for domestic football with live coverage of the Premier League, EFL, Scottish Premiership and the Women’s Super League.
- Find out more about Sky Sports