FOCUSED 100% ON WATFORD? NO KIDDING
Child’s play for Klopp to put City Euro showdown on back-burner
JURGEN KLOPP believes focusing on Watford will be child’s play for his side... compared to the storm they will face in their upcoming Champions League clash with Manchester City.
The Liverpool boss is determined to get his side’s pursuit of second place back on track after their bruising defeat at Manchester United. And he promised the club’s fans his team will be “100 per cent focused” on the victory this evening his side need to claw their way back to just two points behind United in the Premier League table. Asked if it will be tough to keep his side focused for the visit of Watford, with all the excitement surrounding the European draw, he replied: “For me, it’s a children’s birthday.
“I will talk about Watford, then maybe they will talk a little bit about Europe but they don’t think about it anymore.
“We are used to it. We play Watford and it is not difficult to stay focused on that.”
Klopp has skipper Jordan Henderson back to lead the side after he was only on the bench at Old Trafford, due to a slight injury problem, and Joel Matip could also come in.
The manager is adamant his team cannot afford to think about Europe because they are in such a tough battle with the rest of the big Premier League guns for a top-four spot – unlike City, who can stroll to the title. “We come back and the boys have two international games then we come back and play against Crystal Palace. We have to do the job,” he added. “We are not like City in the situation of being already kind of champions, we have to fight for this top-four spot until the end of the season. “That’s our situation, it’s no problem. “When the games are coming in the Champions League then we think about it and not before or after.” Klopp goes into today’s game singing the praises of his midfielder Adam Lallana (right). The midfielder has been called up for England and the Reds boss believes the playmaker can do a job at this summer’s World Cup. Lallana has endured a tough season and is being eased back into action after a number of injury setbacks. And Klopp is hoping the Three Lions give him a run-out in the friendlies against Italy and Holland.
“We worked together with the national team and it is what we do in this case, 100 per cent,” Klopp said.
“Adam had probably the most difficult season of his career but he is still one of the top three or four players of England.
“It was a struggle because it was a really big injury because the tendon ruptured and it needed time.
“I spoke to Gareth Southgate this week and although he’s in fantastic shape he needs a little more recovery time.
“I told Gareth, ‘I don’t know what we do for the weekend but he will be fit next week 100 per cent.’ Our job is to use him as often as possible and, if we can, prepare him for the World Cup as well. “He will be fit in the summer, that’s too late for the whole season but I’m pretty sure he will be good again. If he could play minutes in England’s friendlies of course it would help us.” Lallana’s club-mate Alex OxladeChamberlain (left, with Klopp) also received his first England call-up since October after a string of impressive performances in a three-man Liverpool midfield following his £35million summer move from Arsenal. “Alex has developed a lot here and so it makes absolute sense because he is a top, top player and hopefully it stays like that,” added Klopp. “He can help England a lot and he can help us a lot.”