Klopp is keen to shore up defence
Aguero among world’s best, says Guardiola
JURGEN KLOPP is determined to stop Liverpool leaking goals this season, but has faith in the way his side are playing ahead of today’s Champions League trip to Spartak Moscow.
The Merseyside club ended a fourgame winless run by beating Leicester 3-2 in the Premier League on Saturday, but have conceded 18 goals over 10 games in all competitions.
“It’s obvious we concede too many, there’s no doubt. That’s really hard for me,” Klopp told reporters.
“Usually, I’m a really good defensive coach, but obviously that has worked not too well so far.”
Liverpool missed out on Southampton centre back Virgil van Dijk in the off-season and while left-back Andrew Robertson was the only defender added in the transfer window Klopp says he is happy with the squad.
“We will be fine. It’s how it is. I have faith, not only offensive, but in our squad,” the German said, adding that only the 5-0 defeat to Manchester City earlier this month was hard to recover from.
“Sometimes you need a punch in the face and we have had already a few – not too hard. Manchester City was hard, that was the only one.
“We were not really on the floor, but we always got up. We are here and we play good football. I like the shape we play.”
Elsewhere, Belgian midfielder Marouane Fellaini will miss Manchester United’s Champions League game against CSKA Moscow tomorrow.
Fellaini has not recovered from an ankle injury he suffered in a tackle by Shane Long in the 1-0 league win over Southampton on Saturday and was not in the squad which departed for Russia yesterday.
Nemanja Matic, who also suffered an injury against Southampton, flew out with the rest of the squad along with defender Eric Bailly, who could make his Champions League debut for the club.
United, who are unbeaten this season and are joint top of the Premier League with City, are in confident mood for tomorrow’s tie although they will again be without Paul Pogba, who suffered a hamstring strain against Basel and could require surgery.
Spanish midfielder Juan Mata predicted United would face “a very difficult game” against CSKA, who impressed in beating Benfica 2-1 in their opening group game in Portugal.
“CSKA Moscow is a classic in European football,” Mata wrote in his weekly blog. “They won all their games in the two previous ties before the group stage, which they have started with an extraordinary victory in Lisbon.
“It’s a long trip with two hours of time difference that will demand a quick adjustment.”
Meanwhile, City striker Sergio Aguero could equal the club’s all-time goalscoring record in today’s Champions League match against Shakhtar Donetsk and his manager Pep Guardiola believes he has become one of the best strikers in the world.
Aguero’s goal in the 5-0 win over Crystal Palace on Saturday took him to within one goal of equalling Eric Brook’s record for City with his 176th goal for the club in all competitions.
“I hope as soon as possible he can achieve that record so at least we can not talk about that. I am pretty sure that in the next game it is going to happen,” Guardiola told reporters yesterday.
“Last game again he scored a goal and had two or three chances more so that is essential for a striker that you have (chances).
“It helps a lot that Ras (Sterling) got two more goals (against Palace). We are able to score more goals with more people. The opponents are more focused on other guys then he is more free to score more goals. Sergio is in no doubt one of the best strikers in the world.”
Guardiola says Argentine Aguero has kept his ability to be deadly in the penalty area while becoming more a part of the team’s overall play.
“Maybe now we play more with him. We are looking not just in the finishing. Before maybe Sergio just scores a goal,” the Spaniard added.
“Now in the process... we know always he is there. His first metres is so quick and he is so powerful in the legs and I am so happy he is doing that.”
City will be without captain and central defender Vincent Kompany who is sidelined with a calf injury and Ilkay Gundogan who is out with a knee problem. French left-back Benjamin Mendy faces a fitness test on his knee injury.