Jurgen Klopp LiverpoolGetty Images

'We're still Liverpool!' - Klopp says expectations remain high despite injury woes

Jurgen Klopp insisted Liverpool would not use injuries as an excuse, saying the club's status meant they were still expected to win.

Liverpool have endured an injury crisis to begin the season, but are second in the Premier League and have reached the last 16 in the Champions League.

In a boost, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Naby Keita returned to training on Friday, two days before the champions host Wolves.

Article continues below

Klopp said there were no excuses for Liverpool, pointing to expectations of the club despite their injury woes.

"Whoever is available, we are still Liverpool. That's how we see it. It means we want to win the game," the Liverpool manager told reporters.

"Actually, I think most of the people think we have to win the game. You can see that when you speak before a game, or after a game, people don't talk about [who is available] – he is not available, he is not available, yes, yes, no – nobody really would allow you to use such a situation as an excuse. And we don't, we don't.

"The situation is tough, 100 per cent, but we are at matchday – where are we, nine, 10 coming? Not sure. So, it feels quite long already but it's not even a third of the season.

"So, who cares who is where in the moment. We try to play football. We won some games, drew in others, lost one massively. So, that's the job."

Liverpool are on the second-longest unbeaten home run in English top-flight history (64 games) ahead of hosting Wolves at Anfield.

However, they have dropped more points from winning positions this season (six) than they did in the whole of last campaign (five).

Klopp, who has been critical of the Premier League over its refusal to sanction five substitutions, believes the busy period to finish the year and begin 2021 will see even more teams face injury worries.

"This is not a season where you throw a target – at the start of the season – on the table and say we have to be here or there. Everybody tries to come through. Everybody. Some teams are obviously, so far, more lucky with injuries than others. That is the situation," he said.

"But I am pretty sure that it will level off over the season because it is just incredibly intense for the boys. The most intense period starts for all teams. So far it was massively intense for all the teams involved in European football.

"From now on, we play all three days. And all the teams will have to do that. So, some teams will realise now how tough it is. That's why we have still [got] to talk about the five subs, even though we didn't vote yesterday."

Advertisement