Klopp wants his side to build on the weekend victory over Leicester City, which came courtesy of Benteke’s second half effort, and impressed the importance on goals being spread throughout his side.
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Liverpool’s win over Leicester City last time out was their first in four Premier League matches.
Klopp bristled at the idea that the intensity of his training methods might be a contributory factor to the 22 separate injuries that Liverpool have suffered since the German took over as manager on Oct 9. “He’s a high quality player”. His return would be timely for Klopp, who revealed that James Milner is unlikely to return until the first week of January following a calf complaint.
And he wants his players to respond to the conditions in the same they adapted against Leicester, with the win all important. That’s the only reason why we travel there. Nobody in the team thinks “it is only Sunderland”.
“He did really well in the last week in training, but I decided this starting line-up because of the things you saw from Divock”, Klopp explained.
“So everybody can imagine what will happen, Sunderland can go back to the roots and so we know what is waiting for us”.
“It has been a tough few weeks but we know we will pick ourselves up”, he told Foxes Player.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp feels Christian Benteke is ready to realise his potential after holding a frank discussion with the striker.
Ibe, meanwhile, was absent from Saturday’s clash against Leicester due to illness, but has since resumed training.
Klopp confirmed Origi has picked up a hamstring problem, adding: “Hamstring is the s*** word for me this year”. Sebastian Larsson (knee) and Younes Kaboul (hamstring) are also out. We have to recover, but we must recover in the mind. We are dreaming, we are in good position, 38 points, fantastic. But that will be the case if John doesn’t make it. “We are not a team that can play with a striker who scores a goal but is not involved for the other 89 minutes”. We have our moments when we are shooting and we have a little bit of bad luck. I hope he stays fit and he will help us, of course.
“But all of a sudden, that confidence is shattered again”.
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“A lot of teams have tried and it’s not easy, so I’m very pleased”.
