Jurgen Klopp has bluntly warned his Liverpool flops that change is coming and hardly anybody is safe from his Anfield overhaul.
The Kop boss has issued an open challenge to his charges after a hugely disappointing season, one which can now only be salvaged by securing top-four place. Even that looks difficult however, with their next two fixtures set to define the rest of their campaign.
Following on from their humbling defeat at Manchester City, the Reds face Chelsea on Tuesday night, before hosting league leaders Arsenal next weekend. More dropped points could effectively end their hopes of a Champions League place and the vast benefits that come along with it.
Regardless of whether Liverpool do reel in the likes of Tottenham, Newcastle and Manchester United, Klopp is planning for a busy summer window, with a host of high-profile moves anticipated. The German boss has already made it clear that investment is needed to bridge the gap and along with multiple arrivals, departures are a near certainty.
But in the wake of that 4-1 loss at City, Klopp has admitted that he can’t keep doing the same things and expecting different results. And while he has suggested a couple of places in his team are secure, the rest are up for debate as his current troops attempt to avoid the upcoming axe.
“We have opportunities to change and we have to change. We cannot just close our eyes and do the same again and again,” Klopp told Sky Sports. "This situation also means the door is miles open for everybody to get into the team because there’s only two or three [players] that have pretty much their spot safe. The boys know that, that’s one thing I've told them.
Liverpool are set to be boosted with the returns of Luis Diaz and Thiago Alcantara from injury and Klopp is adamant that this is not the time to shut down, with plenty to play for between now and the end of the May. He added: "Yesterday we had Luis Diaz back further, but still not ready. Thiago Alcantara was training and looking really good, so they are coming back.
“I’m pretty sure some are saying ‘close your eyes, open them again - season over’, but that will not happen and we have to go through this together. Especially when you see the 12th manager get the sack in the league and we are pretty much last man standing.
"We know that is not because of things we did this season, but because of things we did in the past. If this would be my first season, everybody knows I would be on holiday now.”
Klopp was discussing his own managerial situation the day after Chelsea dispensed with the services of Graham Potter. The now former Blues boss became the 12th top-flight managed to lose their job this season, with his assistant Bruno Saltor set to be in the dugout at Stamford Bridge.
“I am pretty sure Chelsea, the players, want to show a reaction, whatever, it always is,” said Klopp. “When you saw the Bayern game against Dortmund [Thomas Tuchel’s first match in charge], there was a reaction for whatever reason. That's it.
"I think apart from that there is maybe rotation a little bit – Kante is back, other players, Mason [Mount] was injured I think, was on the bench first time [at the weekend], might play. So, line-up-wise they could change system, I don't know. They changed system during the season but we expect actually pretty similar to the last games."
