Klopp excited with ‘sensational’ Liverpool win over Sheffield
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp says the efforts of the Liverpool players “should not be taken for granted”.
The Reds beat Sheffield United on Thursday to make it an entire year unbeaten and maintain their 13-point lead at the top of the Premier League.
In six fixtures over a 17-day period, playing in three competitions, including the Club World Cup in Qatar, the Reds have won five of them.
“I do not take it one second for granted [what the team have done].”
Injuries to players such as Fabinho, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Joel Matip mean Klopp has been restricted in his ability to rotate his squad, relying on a core group of 13 senior professionals.
Their only defeat came in the League Cup against Aston Villa, which was played a day before their Club World Cup semi-final and saw the Reds field an extremely inexperienced side, including a number of untested teenagers.
“We have 13 players to go through this period and now after tonight we have 12 [following Naby Keita’s injury during the warm-up on Thursday night],” said Klopp. “[January signing] Takumi Minamino coming in makes it 13 again.
“I am really happy and really proud of the boys. We should not take things like this for granted.”
On Sunday, Liverpool host Merseyside rivals Everton in the FA Cup and while Klopp would not be drawn on what team he would select, he challenged them to give their all for the cause.
Liverpool 2-0 Sheffield United: Jurgen Klopp proud of Liverpool players' efforts #YNWA https://t.co/OvKksu0g1k
— Liverpool Talk (@Liverpool_TT1) January 3, 2020
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“Whichever line-up I choose for Sunday, and I don’t know in this moment what we need, but if you want to go through, anybody in a Liverpool shirt, you must throw your soul on the pitch because we need you 100%,” he added.
“I will do what I think is right. Some things I will decide by myself, some things the medical department will tell me.
“I don’t know what the line-up will be but it will the best for us in the moment. We will have fresh legs. What we need is support.”