Loan scheme
home from Liverpool’s pre-season tour of America after flouting team rules.
An Achilles tendon injury compounded those issues and there is a sense at Liverpool that the player needs to go elsewhere in the short term.
Liverpool are not giving up on Sakho, although he will have to display real resolve to reingratiate himself fully.
Klopp has started the season with Dejan Lovren and Ragnar Klavan at centre-back, while Joel Matip is in reserve. Lucas showed he could play at centre-back last season and has been stopped from joining Galatasaray, while Joe Gomez is heading back to fitness.
Tiago Ilori will also be allowed to leave with Olympiakos interested in a £5million move.
Sakho is not the only player causing concern to Klopp, who says talk is cheap when it comes to getting Daniel Sturridge back to
his NIGEL CLOUGH is so confident Burton Albion can pile yet more misery on Liverpool tonight that he will spend the morning mowing his lawn. Liverpool had more than 80 per cent possession against Burnley on Saturday but still managed to lose 2-0, popping their feel-good bubble from beating Arsenal 4-3 on the opening day of the season. Manager Jurgen Klopp insists there is no reason to panic in tonight’s EFL Cup tie – and Clough will certainly not be poring over Liverpool’s players in a bid to outwit them on the pitch. “I just try to keep things normal,” said Clough, who in his first spell at Burton oversaw an FA Cup draw against Manchester United a decade ago.
“I remember the United game here was on a Sunday and I watched my little lad play football in the morning. One of the dads said to me, ‘What are you doing here?’ I said, ‘I’ve no reason not to be’.
“I’ll do some mowing, a bit of gardening, or something like that.
“We do less work on the opposition in these games than we do week-in, week-out, because we have no idea what team or formation they’re going to play so there’s no point. “We’ll be very relaxed about this game. We were much more nervous going to Doncaster last season lethal partnership Suarez in 2013/14.
But Klopp believes he still possesses all the attributes if his body holds up.
“Daniel is still a very good player, but still an outstanding player needs a kind of rhythm,” he said.
“What you could see on Saturday was not the best game for Daniel since he started playing football, but even in a game like this he still could have scored. He’s a really good player with all you need when he’s fit.”
Klopp plans to make a handful of changes for the trip to the Pirelli Stadium to face a Burton side managed by former Liverpool forward Nigel Clough.
But he says there is no cause for concern following Saturday’s 2-0 defeat by Burnley.
“I have to stay calm and cool in this situation,” he said. “I have lost a few games in my life and I’m sure I will lose some in the future too.
“There’s no pressure at this moment. It’s more a chance to bring the Liverpool train in the right direction. That’s what we want to do.” with Luis needing a point to get promoted.”
Clough has reason to be confident having made a habit of masterminding memorable cup results.
His Burton side, then in the Conference, held United to a draw before losing a replay at Old Trafford. Then, when in charge at Sheffield United, he led them to the semi-finals of the FA Cup and League Cup.
He built the foundations for the club’s rise from non-League and returned after seven years to guide them to the Championship. Now he has in his sights the club he served for almost three years as a player.
“Not being in Europe this season means this competition will mean more to them,” he said. “But we can take on anybody at home. We will take the game to Liverpool and attack.”
STEVE MADELEY