Jurgen Klopp says heavy metal football will be back on the Liverpool agenda after the World Cup… with his side back to their iron-man best following the season-splitting break.
The Reds boss even managed a visual joke when asked if it would be a different Liverpool when the Premier League resumes at Christmas…by offering a traditional strongman pose, with fists above his head pumping muscles, and saying: “If different mean this, then YES!”
The ludicrous experiment of placing a World Cup slap bang in the middle of an intense season has condensed the top flight, with Manchester City only in second and six clubs within eight points of top spot.
Sadly for Klopp, his side are off that pace, but he strongly - pun intended - believes his side will be back to their intense best when the second half of the campaign gets underway.
“So, yes we will be different, yes we will have trained, yes we will have players back but it also depends on how the players come back from the World Cup. I have no idea about that.
“If they all come back healthy from the World Cup.... if they all go out early and have a break and can then train with us for three and a half weeks that would be absolutely outstanding but there are a lot of 'ifs.'”
Liverpool are perhaps in a stronger position than most of their rivals in relation to the World Cup, with four of their key players in Mo Salah, Thiago, Andy Robertson and Luis Diaz not even going with their nations.
Even many of their stars who will go are not regular starters, with the likes of skipper Jordan Henderson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Roberto Firmino and Fabinho - if the Brazilian pair go at all - likely to play limited roles.
In fact, only THREE of Klopp’s squad look certain starters for their country in the finals to be held in Qatar, with Virgil van Dijk, Alisson and Darwin Nunez.
That all leaves Liverpool better placed to return after the six week break stronger and fitter than some of the other top teams, with Klopp even offered the chance to get key performers like injured stars Diaz, Diogo Jota and Naby Keita fit and firing again before Christmas.
But the Reds boss insists that his priority now is to ensure his team go into the World Cup break as close as possible to City and the other seven teams above them…which means winning all three of their Premier League games before then.
Asked if his team are close enough to close the gap in such a strange season - despite currently standing 10 points behind Champions City, he replied: "If we had won in Nottingham we would have 19 points and would be closer now.
“I know that but we didn't so I shouldn't be talking about that. The problem is when we talk about our situation and how we can improve it, it sounds like we just have to play better but then there is still an opponent.
“Leeds are a good example of that. You look at their results and think they must be a bad moment, but now I’ve watched their games (for analysis) I realise they are in a really good moment, and there is a massive difference between their results and performances.”
Klopp is also confident that none of his players will protect themselves for the World Cup by being less committed in the remaining games before then, and he mused: “I think the players who think about the World Cup are the players who (run the risk of) getting injured in that moment.”
Klopp could have Ibrahima Konate - another who may not go to the World Cup - back in his side for the visit of Leeds, while the manager said Henderson should be fine after a midweek knock, and Thiago is available.
