Klopp: We’d have been lost without the kids
MIDTJYLLAND v LIVERPOOL 5.55PM, BT SPORT 2
LIVERPOOL manager Jurgen Klopp admits his team ‘would have been lost’ without the academy players who have stepped up to fill in after his squad was decimated by injuries.
At one stage the Reds boss had ten senior players out, including the likes of Virgil Van Dijk and Joe Gomez, and had no option but to dip into the wider squad.
He has not been let down and results have not suffered, with Liverpool level on points with Tottenham at the top of the Premier League, having already qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League.
Teenagers Neco Williams and Curtis Jones combined for the only goal against Ajax which guaranteed top spot in Group D, while goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher has kept clean sheets in back-to-back matches on his European and league debuts.
Many of Liverpool’s youngsters may get a chance to impress in their own right for the dead rubber at Midtjylland tonight.
‘We clearly had some problems injury-wise, we lost top-class players to injuries and of course it’s one door closes and another opens up,’ Klopp said.
‘You still need the right kids, the right players to use the chance. Without them we would have been lost, to be honest. Thank God it worked out.
‘All the boys did it and you can go through them: what Rhys Williams did in the Champions League is exceptional, what Nat (Phillips) did when he played in the Premier League was absolutely exceptional, Neco played two really good games in a row, especially the last one.
‘Curtis plays like he’s played ten years for us. Caoimhin was always a talent and now he has the chance to show that on the big stage, to use that opportunity is nice for him. The biggest part is obviously is that they are really ready for this. They are the biggest reason for it.’
Klopp has no fresh options available tonight but Divock Origi is likely to start having been left out of the squad against Wolves. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is back in full training but will not feature.