Shaqiri gets real on Klopp after ‘hard’ start at Anfield
LIVERPOOL star Xherdan Shqiri has admitted life is hard at the club but that Jurgen Klopp does not need to keep him happy.
The Swiss star made the move to Anfield in the summer after a £13m (RM71m) switch from Stoke, who were relegated to the Championship last season.
But he has been unable to break into the starting XI, with Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane the preferred trio up top.
While the forward has impressed where he can, Klopp had opted to use him predominantly from the bench.
It has led to the 27-year-old being left frustrated – though he realises it is not up to the German manager to make him happy.
He told Swiss newspaper Aargauer Zeitung: “You don’t have to keep me happy!
“The process has worked well for me so far. Sure, every professional wants to play. I do too, but there are still a lot of games to come.
“On top of that, you just need to look and acknowledge what has been done at Liverpool recently. A lot of people did a good job.
“I decided to move to Liverpool fully aware that I would have a harder time in a club of this standing than, for example, other clubs that tried to help me.”
Shaqiri is not the only fringe player on Merseyside upset with their lack of opportunities, with Fabinho also on the outside looking in.
“Of course I want to be playing,” Fabinho said. “However, I know I am on a new team in a new league, and it has its period of adaptation.
“I already know the way our coach likes to play, I’m happy here in Liverpool. I hope that I will gradually gain a few minutes on the field.
“The adaptation on the pitch is good, and I’m working and calm, waiting for my moment to arrive.” – Daily Star (Biraghi
(Neustadter 20, Cheryshev 78)
League C1 (Hemed 8, Seba 83) (Baravykas 88) (Mugosa 10, 45+1-pen, Kopitovic 35, Zoric 86).
League D3 (Joensen 50) (Abdullayev 53)
(Rashica 9) (Muscat 37). The Express understands that Bale (left) is happy living in the Spanish capital and has no plans to return to the Premier League anytime soon. The news will also be a disappointment to Chelsea and