There isn’t a Liverpool supporter alive who doesn’t know about Jürgen Klopp’s infamous “crystal clear instructions”. And after giving his players days off last weekend, it seems as though they have taken to heart the German manager’s words.
The Reds went through a tough period of fixtures in the past few weeks and although they lost their two Premier League games against Burnley and Everton, Klopp was happy with their performance in both fixtures. He said: “I think Liverpool are incredibly fresh because [of] the small amount of time we had between these two games. I would say two or three days for us is really fresh for this league where every game is so important. The boys responded really well, so that’s really good news for us. We have to continue like this.”
Liverpool team ‘incredibly fresh’ after Klopp gives days off
Liverpool boss Jürgen Klopp gave his players a rest over the weekend and they came back “incredibly fresh” according to one of their stars.
The Reds beat Burnley 3-1 in their latest Premier League game and midfielder Jordan Henderson says the team was able to take the positives from their last two matches and apply them against Sean Dyche’s men.
Klopp decided to give his players a break after they drew 1-1 with Maribor in their Champions League opener, before beating Napoli 5-0 at Anfield. The squad returned on Saturday and were given three days off before their next league game against Bournemouth.
“It’s been amazing,” Henderson told Liverpoolfc.com. “Obviously we need to remember our strengths but it was great to have some time together as a group and just reflect on what’s gone on in the last few weeks.”
Klopp has placed an emphasis on taking care of his players this season and he seems to be paying dividends so far. The Reds have now won four out of their six league games which puts them joint second in the table, just four points behind leaders Chelsea.
Liverpool face Besiktas in Europa League on Thursday
Liverpool will face Besiktas in the Europa League on Thursday. Klopp gave his players days off after their 3-1 victory over Brighton, and they are reportedly incredibly fresh. The Turkish side are a tough opponent, but Liverpool have proved they can compete at this level in recent years.
Klopp has brought in a number of new players this season, and they have looked promising so far. Mohamed Salah is one of the stars of the team, and he will be looking to continue his good form against Besiktas. Other key players for Liverpool include Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson. If they can get a win against Besiktas, it will put them in a strong position going into their next Europa League game against Maribor.
Liverpool youngster pushes for first-team places
After a win over Manchester City, Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp gave his players days off. Klopp has been praised for the freshness of his team and one of the players to take advantage of the break was 18-year-old Trent Alexander-Arnold. The full-back made his 50th appearance for Liverpool on Saturday and played the full 90 minutes against City. “It’s been really good,” he said after the game. “I feel really fresh and I’ve enjoyed every minute.” Alexander-Arnold is competing with Alberto Moreno for a place at right-back but he is confident that can achieve his aim. “I just try to do my job as best I can and if that happens it happens,” he said.
Reds to host Huddersfield Town in Premier League on Saturday
Liverpool will host Huddersfield Town in the Premier League on Saturday, after Jürgen Klopp gave his players days off following their midweek Champions League victory over Benfica.
The Reds were unbeaten in the Premier League prior to the international break and have now won three consecutive games in all competitions, but Klopp has opted to give his players a well-deserved rest ahead of Saturday’s clash with Huddersfield.
“It was really important that we came back fresh,” said Liverpool midfielder Jordan Henderson. “We managed to do that and now it’s up to us to keep going.”
Klopp has acknowledged that his side are still finding their feet in the Premier League and believes that taking some time off will help them freshen up for the remainder of the season.
“Everybody knows that this is not easy,” he said. “Nobody expected it [to be] easy from day one, but we knew it would be a hard fight and it is. We need everybody fresh for these fixtures.”
Liverpool are currently sixth in the Premier League table and face a difficult challenge if they want to secure a top-four finish this season. However, with crucial games remaining against Manchester City, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, Klopp is confident that his team can mount a strong challenge.
Klopp urges Liverpool to keep their focus
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has urged his side to keep their focus ahead of their crucial Premier League match against West Ham United on Saturday. The Reds have been given a break following their 5-1 victory over Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League last week, but Klopp urges them to not take any rest for granted.
“I think it was the right decision [to give players days off] because the level of intensity [in the Champions League] was massive,” he said. “We played Wednesday night and then had two recovery days. We trained yesterday and today so we are unbelievably fresh now but it has not changed our plan at all.
“The competition is still there, and we have to play every game like it is our last one.” Liverpool currently sit in third place in the Premier League table, just one point behind second-placed Manchester City with four matches remaining. West Ham United are just five points behind Liverpool, but Klopp is confident that his side can still achieve their objective of securing a top-four finish this season.
“Our aim is still obvious to be in the best possible position at the end of the season,” he said. “West Ham United are only five points behind us, but they have played more games than us, and they also played Wednesday night, which means they were fresh when they came here.”
Reds eye Stoke City in FA Cup fourth round
Stoke City will be feeling the pressure as they take on Liverpool in the FA Cup fourth round. The Reds are coming into the match with a lot of energy after having days off. This contrasts Stoke, who have been playing continuously since the Premier League drew to a close. Klopp has given his players some time off to refresh and hopefully perform better than they did against Burnley. However, it won’t be easy against an experienced Stoke side that knows how to play at Anfield.
Liverpool will take on Cardiff City in the EFL Cup fifth round
Liverpool will take on Cardiff City in the EFL Cup fifth round this weekend. Klopp has given his players days off following their 3-0 win over Hoffenheim in the Champions League. The Reds are incredibly fresh and should be able to upset Cardiff.