Klopp urges his roller-coaster Reds to rise to Arsenal challenge

LIVERPOOL: Several of the Liverpool team that went down meekly 3-1 at struggling Leicester City on Monday night are playing well below their best, manager Juergen Klopp said yesterday, admitting a quick reaction was needed to get their Premier League season back on track.

Liverpool, who are fifth and have won just one league game since the turn of the year, host fourth-placed Arsenal today looking to bounce back immediately from one of their worst performances of the season.

“It doesn’t feel that free-flowing anymore but that’s how seasons are,” Klopp said.

“Only (runaway leaders) Chelsea have that feeling still, all the rest have had better or worse moments in the season.

“We have a lack of consistency. We cannot ignore it.”

Klopp said there was room for improvement throughout the side after watching the likes of Roberto Firmino and Philippe Coutinho struggle.

“We have to do better, 100 percent. Not only Phil and Roberto. There are a few other players who have a lot of space to improve. We have to be as confident as possible in the next game.”

Klopp challenged his players to respond against Arsenal.

“It’s Anfield, our stadium, and the last game we played there was fantastic. We want that feeling again,” he added.

“We need to bounce back. We need to keep the points at Anfield.”

Captain Jordan Henderson is unavailable, while striker Daniel Sturridge has a hip injury.

Meanwhile, Chelsea manager Antonio Conte yesterday reiterated his commitment to the leaders following media reports that he was finding it hard to adjust to life in England without his family.

“I think for sure the only problem for me this season is the family is missing me,” he said.

“...I am working for the future to bring them here and stay together.

“Every coach when you start work with a new club, you hope to stay many, many years. It means you are working very well... It is normal for every coach to hope to stay.”

Looking ahead to Monday’s clash against West Ham United at the London Stadium, Conte picked out fit-again Andy Carroll as the danger man.

Carroll, who has four goals in his last four games, is back for the ninth-placed Hammers after a month out with a groin injury.

“He is a really good player, very strong and we must pay great attention,” Conte said. “I think we must pay attention for the whole squad.”

West Ham are one of the few teams that have beaten Conte’s league leaders this season, prevailing 2-1 in the League Cup at the London Stadium in October.

“EFL Cup they beat us, we are preparing for different solution to limit the strength of our opponent,” Conte added.

“...If you face a player that is fast, another that is very strong physically, we are preparing well.”

Midfielder Eden Hazard has picked up a knock, but Conte was not overly concerned that the Belgian could miss the game.

Meanwhile, Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho dismissed as “nonsense” media reports that captain Wayne Rooney is open to the idea of returning to his boyhood club Everton at the end of the season.

The 31-year-old striker’s future was the subject of speculation last month, with British media reporting that a move to China was on the cards until Rooney released a statement reiterating his commitment to United.

Rooney, all-time leading goal-scorer for club and country, has started eight league games this season and has not played since February 1.

Mourinho said the striker was in the squad for today’s league clash with Bournemouth, “with possibilities to ...start or be on the bench”.

Since he had decided to “help the team and to fight for Manchester United, he’s an important player for us,” Mourinho said yesterday.

“I think by giving you these two details I’m telling you all the talk about Everton for me makes nonsense.”

United fullback Luke Shaw is set for his first league appearance since the end of October when sixth-placed United host 14th-placed Bournemouth in today’s early kick off. – Reuters