Klopp blames injury on congested fixture schedule

LIVERPOOL — Jurgen Klopp insists that the congestion of the football calendar is partly to blame for Liverpool's ever-increasing injury crisis.

The German boss is now without six of his senior stars as Liverpool prepare to enter the hectic festive period and a busy Champions League schedule.

Speaking during his pre-match Press conference before the Reds host Ajax at Anfield yesterday, Klopp highlighted how the knock-on effect of multiple injuries can disrupt an entire team, while breaking the worrying news that summer signing Thiago has no concrete return date.

When asked whether the congestion of the football calendar was the reason for rife injuries, Klopp replied: “Yes, but not only, and that is how it is.

“We had impact injuries especially in the Everton game. Two massive impact injuries and from that moment on it started pretty much.

“If one player goes out for a long, long time another who is maybe not ready has to play more often than not. It is difficult to prepare a squad for two massive injuries on one position [midfield].

“In that case it was a centre half we lost at Everton and a midfielder lost, another midfielder has to play centre half and that means another midfielder who was not exactly ready for the job has to play midfield so one leads to the other thing and that's the reality. ”

The Spain star hasn't been seen for the Reds since getting injured in the Merseyside derby

“It is not to change any more so we will try to deal with that and make the best of it.”

Former Bayern Munich man Thiago has not been seen since the Merseyside derby, and Klopp admits the situation with the deep-lying playmaker is a difficult one. Klopp also confirmed Naby Keita and Xherdan Shaqiri will remain on the sidelines, while Trent Alexander-Arnold has not been given the greenlight to return against Ajax, but is “closer” in his rehab programme.