Jurgen Klopp advised Liverpool’s forwards counter-pressing will all the time be the “ticket” into his beginning lineup, as Roberto Firmino was dominated out of Saturday’s recreation in opposition to Nottingham Forest.
Liverpool ended a five-match winless run by thrashing Leeds United 6-1 final outing, with attacking quartet Cody Gakpo, Mohamed Salah, Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez all on track.
Liverpool want to transfer inside six factors of the Premier League’s high 4 once they host Forest, earlier than Champions League contenders Newcastle United and Tottenham face off on Sunday.
The Reds will likely be with out Firmino for his or her subsequent recreation after he sustained a muscle harm, which might additionally pressure him to sit down out conferences with West Ham and Tottenham subsequent week.
“Sadly Bobby picked up a muscle situation, we’ll see how lengthy that takes,” Klopp mentioned.
“It’s not too critical, however he’s undoubtedly out for tomorrow and subsequent week we have now two extra video games. I’d say these are unimaginable as properly, we are going to see. We’ve got to take it day-to-day.”
Jürgen Klopp has offered an replace on the health of Roberto Firmino pic.twitter.com/vZB2VNVn0x
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) April 21, 2023
With Luis Diaz’s return from harm including to Liverpool’s choices in assault, Klopp was requested how he selects a three-man frontline from the six elite forwards in his squad.
“The ticket into this staff will certainly be counter-pressing,” he mentioned. “That’s the place every part began, I wouldn’t say that we misplaced it a little bit bit… however we had so many video games the place I didn’t like that.
“That’s a reasonably strict factor. All 5 out there proper now – six with Bobby – can do it fairly properly. However for those who do it within the video games you play, you’ve the possibility to start out once more.
“Everyone’s tremendous vital and everybody will play, however once more, the ticket would be the want to win the ball again as quickly as we lose it, as a result of we had so many occasions the place that made a distinction.”
The fierce competitors for locations in Liverpool’s assault has seen Nunez begin their final two video games on the bench, and Klopp says the Uruguayan remains to be adapting amid a troublesome debut season.
“Darwin is a participant with a distinct skillset to all our different gamers. He’s an actual handful and he already scored a good variety of targets,” Klopp mentioned.
“After all, he’s nonetheless adapting, his English remains to be not nice if it exists in any respect – we’re engaged on that.
“It’s not useful to undergo a troublesome debut season for the entire staff. How can a striker shine when the entire staff is struggling?
“It’s no drawback in any respect, it is a long-term undertaking. I perceive that he desires to play from the start, however we have now to discover a method of enjoying that works for us, then match within the gamers.”
