Jurgen Klopp has explained why Liverpool cannot use their intense schedule or statistical shortfalls as an excuse heading into Sunday’s top-of-the-table Premier League clash against Manchester City.
The 1-0 Champions League defeat against Napoli was as concerning as it was disappointing. Losing to a 90th-minute goal will have upset Klopp, but more worrying was the number of players who underperformed – with Gini Wijnaldum explaining why it all went wrong for the Reds.
Sunday’s visit of the defending Premier League champions is both clubs’ seventh match in 23 days between the September and October international breaks.
Liverpool won their first three but have since lost two and drawn one, and included in that half-dozen are Champions League encounters against Paris Saint-Germain and Napoli and two games against Chelsea.
In the same period City have won five and lost one – a surprise Champions League defeat to Lyon – although the highest-placed top-flight side they have met in that time is Brighton, currently 15th.
“It is a tough game, absolutely,” said Klopp, who, pointing to his side’s statistics after Champions League matches, have drawn six of 12 fixtures immediately after.
“It is absolutely intense since the last international break. We cannot change that so we have to make sure we are ready.
“We don’t have to think about intensity. We have three days to recover and then we will face Man City.
“It would’ve been difficult any way at any time of the season, it is always difficult, but let’s have a look how the players are after the game and then we will prepare.
“Then we have our crowd at our backs. You could see Napoli used the atmosphere and we couldn’t calm it down, but on Sunday it will be 100 per cent different.”
Liverpool will be hoping for positive news regarding midfielder Naby Keita before the weekend.
The Guinean, making his debut in the competition for the club he joined in the summer, lasted just 19 minutes before going to ground on the pitch and eventually being taken off on the medical cart.
It is understood Keita was subsequently transported to a local hospital as a precaution after complaining of severe pain.
The team have an overnight stay in Naples so Keita’s condition will be assessed again on Thursday morning.
There is no indication yet whether the injury will rule him out of Sunday’s top-of-the-table clash at home to Manchester City.
This weekend is the second in succession Liverpool have faced a top-three side, having drawn at Chelsea thanks to Daniel Sturridge’s late equaliser on Saturday. Both teams have 19 points and while City have a superior goal difference, their record at Anfield is unimpressive.
Liverpool have won their last six home matches against their north-west rivals and are unbeaten in 11 in all competitions, with their last defeat to City at Anfield coming in May 2003.
They have also not lost a home Premier League match since late January but are not yet close to replicating their best form of last season. Sadio Mane has not scored in his last six matches, Roberto Firmino in his last four while Mohamed Salah has found the net just once in his last seven.