Klopp vows wounded Reds will tough it out Good citizen Kane has One Love but many duties
JURGEN KLOPP cannot promise Liverpool will be flying again soon but he insists nobody can doubt their fighting spirit.
The Reds are under fire after a sloppy start to the Premier League season was compounded by their loss at Arsenal on Sunday.
Liverpool are 14 points off the Gunners at the top of the table ahead of Sunday’s clash with Manchester City. But tonight they return to Europe, where they have found some form following a 4-1 defeat by Napoli in their Champions League opener. Klopp’s side have beaten Ajax and Rangers at Anfield and now they face the Scottish side at Ibrox looking to put one foot in the knockout stages.
The German was still raging about the refereeing decisions that cost him against Arsenal but he was also pointing to the fact it was just the way those calls fell that cost his side.
“If you sleep on a problem, sometimes you realise life goes on,” said Klopp, right. “This is a tough situation but it is also a challenge.We always face challenges but we go for it and I am sorry to all our people that after last season we go again and it’s not the case that we are competing for everything.
“I cannot promise that we will fly but we will fight, definitely, until someone tells us the fight is over. It hasn’t got easier since Sunday because of the injuries but the team I saw today in training I liked a lot. So let’s give it a go.”
Joel Matip has joined Luis Diaz and Trent Alexander-Arnold in the treatment room along with longer-term absentees. Matip is out for up to three weeks with a calf injury, while Klopp was more upbeat on Alexander-Arnold’s ankle problem as he hopes he is now out for only “two weeks”.
Diaz is suffering with a knee injury that will keep him out until after the World Cup. That presents a chance for Diogo Jota, who missed the start of the season through injury, to get a run in the left-hand position vacated in the summer by Sadio Mane. The Portugal forward said: “I’m ready to play there and to play whichever position the manager feels I am important for the team.”
DISCRIMINATION fought, racism deplored, mental health awareness promoted – even the kids have been put to bed.
Now Harry Kane is ready to resume the day job, having been given his manager’s full blessing.
By any standards it has been a busy time for the England captain.
Kane has become the public face of the ‘One Love’ European captains’ armband campaign against discimination, which the FA say they will back even if FIFA refuse to authorise the kit modification in Qatar.
In the international break he was asked to speak out about theWorld Cup hosts’ homosexuality stance and on Monday he launched his own foundation to help those with mental health issues.
All before reading on CBeebies’ Bedtime Stories.
Now Tottenham head coach Antonio Conte needs him to fire against Eintracht Frankfurt. Kane, right, has yet to score in Europe this season, making this something of a must-win if Spurs are to boost the chance of progressing. Conte said: “Harry is not only a top player but a top person and he’s a really good example. To give him this responsibility is good because it invites the people to follow.
“I’m sure at the same time that Harry is focused on football – he’s really good at dividing the two situations and giving 100 percent to both.”
It is three years since Kane last scored in the Champions League and Conte admits he is due. “Harry has started the season really well,” he added. “I know Harry can take us to big levels.
“Now we have two games in a row at home and we need to exploit them.”
Getting through the group stages is something Conte has only done twice in five previous attempts.
“My demands are very high but we’ve only one way to try to be competitive in this league and this tournament,” he said. “To be really good and to aspire every day to make a difference and be better.”