Jurgen Klopp has admitted Liverpool’s attempted quadruple push last season has hurt them this year as the Reds continue to be plagued by injuries.
Liverpool competed in a whopping 63 matches last season as they won both the League Cup and FA Cup, and reached the Champions League final. The Reds have ultimately failed to reach such heights again this year, having been knocked out prematurely in both domestic cups, on the verge of Champions League elimination at the hands of Real Madrid in the round-of-16, and currently find themselves seventh in the Premier League table.
Injuries have not helped their cause, with the majority of Klopp’s squad being sidelined at some point or another. And while most of Liverpool’s ranks are currently available, Thiago Alcantara, Joe Gomez, and Luis Diaz are still sidelined.
PAUL GORST: FSG now need to hear just one simple promise from new Liverpool investors
DAVE POWELL: Liverpool accounts show £545m challenge that gives the game away for FSG
As a result, Klopp insisted his squad is not too small as the Reds slowly edge closer to boasting a fully fit quota. But he did admit the amount of games his players have had to play for club and country has hampered them.
“For sure, some, the immediate impact from last season,” he told reporters. “For example, when Diogo got injured during the international period. Came back, was back, then did it again.
“Other injuries were affected by long season, short break, and short pre-season. And some, Ibou and Virg, were after the World Cup. I don’t think last season was too influential for that but in general, the amount of games might have been influential.
“We had bad knee injuries with Luis, which was an impact. Ibou’s first injury was impact at the end of the pre-season. It all depends on each other.”
He continued: “The most difficult thing is when you have too many injuries, the problem is the other players have to play too often. Then they get injured when the other players get back, but they need time to get back to their best. That’s the situation you are in.
“We didn’t have the full squad on the training pitch yet but last week, without Thiago and Lucho, there were 26 players out there on the pitch. Goalies not counted, so that makes it 28 when they aren’t injured.
“The squad is not too small, it’s not that we don’t have players. But we never had them together and most of the time we have six, seven, eight players out.
“Now we don’t have that amount, hopefully it stays like this and it would be massively helpful for this decisive period of the season.”
READ NEXT:
Nunez and Konate set to return as three Liverpool players ruled out for Wolves
Liverpool signing labelled a 'coward' by Ancelotti punched opposition player before being booed out
Liverpool hit record revenue as £107m surge confirmed in new club accounts
Liverpool three-stage plan exposes Luis Diaz swap and Mohamed Salah exit rumours
Why Liverpool vs Wolves and Arsenal vs Everton games are not on TV in UK
