WE’LL KOP SUCCESS ON TWO FRONTS
JURGEN KLOPP believes his Liverpool players can defy history to enjoy European and domestic success.
In the 26 years since they were allowed back into Europe, Liverpool have hardly ever been able to sustain a concerted effort on both fronts.
Manager Klopp has almost certainly steered the club into the quarter-finals of the Champions League, and second place in the Premier League, behind Manchester City, is a realistic possibility.
For the German, there is a crucial difference this season: his squad. By any measure, Liverpool have the greatest squad in terms of depth and talent ever assembled at Anfield, and Klopp believes it is that strength that can help them defy history.
He said: “The past is with different people. If they struggled on two fronts, then that was not us.
“I do not know how many of these current players were involved in these Champions League problems.”
Two years ago, when they reached the Europa League Final under Klopp, the Reds secured only eighth place in the league, behind both West Ham and Southampton, as the number of games took their toll.
This time around, Klopp enters the final stretch of the season with every member of his squad fit, and he said: “Yes, in my first season we got to the Europa League Final and, after 64 games, it was difficult to manage. That was not a Liverpool problem, but a general problem.
“We have, at the moment, all the players fit and wanting to play... and that is a good sign. They are keeping the pressure up with their performances.”
That is a huge contrast to last season, when Liverpool were second on New Year’s Eve... but then won only one league match in the whole of January and February.
“The problem is a period in November-december, when you have injuries and cannot rest everyone. And you can’t have 40 players in your squad,” he added.
“It means, if you have players who must play all the time, they will be injured when the others are coming back in January. And people coming back are not in the best shape because they are coming back.
“You need a bit of luck, too. Chelsea last year played with pretty much the same team. That is cool. It helps. Obviously, you need luck in that situation.
“We have not had too much luck, but we have been able to rotate in this area pretty much through the season. That is important.”