Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
REDS’ HOLY TRINITY COULD SOON KOP IT
Klopp losing patience with Mane and Firmino
Premier League: Kick-off 8pm
JURGEN KLOPP says his famous front line has no divine right to selection – and he may be forced to “intervene” if their poor form continues.
The Liverpool manager knows his side have not done well enough in front of goal in recent months, admitting: “If we used a lot of the chances we wouldn’t stand here and talk about these things.”
Klopp has also conceded that his side need “10 chances to score a goal” and he has challenged the rest of his squad to prove to him they deserve to replace his front three in the Reds’ remaining seven matches, as they pursue a top-four place.
Asked if he needs to change his forward line or wait for it to fix itself, he said: “Probably both.
“I think we all agree that with the quality the boys have they will score goals, but in this period where they don’t score you have to think do you intervene or just let it go?
“That is the job to do. I think we all agree on that. If you would have used the chances you could have had a different game is kind of what people told me and I said, yes, that is a little bit like how the season was.
“We had more chances than the opponent. There is only one real chance – you have to carry on, trust yourselves still, you have to be positive and to go for it.”
Mo Salah (above) has continued to score goals this season, and he now needs just two more to record 30 for the second time in a campaign in a Liverpool shirt.
But both Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino (both below) have hit a worrying dry spell, with the pair scoring just one Premier League goal each since the end of December.
Clearly, that is a huge problem for Klopp and Liverpool, and he admitted he will not give any of his players a free pass.
Diogo Jota has proved his goalscoring prowess this season, but Klopp has challenged others to prove in the remaining games they now deserve a starting place, with the exit from Europe meaning there is more time to focus on things in training, with no midweek matches.
“We had so many problems, but that will not be my problem between now and the end of the season.
“The more you train, the more important each session is,” he explained.
“It means everybody has a chance to show that he has to play. It is all about showing up, training well, giving your absolute all and make the decision for me as easy or as difficult as possible, however you want to see it, bring me or leave me out.
“That is the job of a player. I would be really dumb if I did not use these opportunities.
“Seeing a player who is outstanding in training but I ignore it and play again the same other guys, that is not how it works.
“It is a big opportunity for everybody.
“The more you train the more you have an opportunity to show up and I hope they all do it.”