Liverpool’s injuries have not been a secret this season – a factor that has undoubtedly impacted their first Premier League title defense.
The Reds have been without first-choice center-back Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez for most of the season, while news that Joel Matip will be sidelined for the remainder of the campaign has seen Jurgen Klopp take a late dive into the transfer market. .
Ben Davies and Ozan Kabak arrived at Anfield on the transfer deadline day, with the former being named as an unused replacement in the loss to Brighton, while the latter’s international clearance has now been received, meaning that it is ready for selection.
However, while many expected the pair’s arrival to eliminate the need for midfielders Jordan Henderson and Fabinho to go on defense, the Liverpool boss does not seem so keen to throw them into the eleven. start for this weekend’s close match with the other Manchester City title pursuers.
“Of course everything helps,” he told reporters, as Goal reported. “Now we have different options and that’s good. [It is] the best news we could have.
“Now we need to make sure that new boys get all the information they need as quickly as possible. In another position, you might say “come on, play, try, we will adapt to you”, but in defense, the things we do are very clear; it’s about holding the line, it’s about falling at the right time. There are many things [we do] that teams do differently.
“We’ll see how quickly we can do it. Today is an important session for that, and then we’ll see what we’re going to do.
When asked if there was a chance the couple could both Having received their Liverpool debut on Sunday, Klopp was steadfast in his response, responding: “No. If I don’t have to, no. “
Shock at Anfield sees Liverpool set off in search of their first win and their first goal at Anfield in three games.
The last time the Reds failed to score in three successive Anfield encounters was in 1984, although Klopp believes it was his side’s defensive display that could have a huge say in which team will emerge victorious from their match against Manchester City.
“We will try to do the right things,” he added. “These are special games. It’s like that. But in the end, it’s only three points.
“Obviously City is at a slightly different time than us, and we shouldn’t forget that, but one thing is clear; if you’re not defending at the highest level against City, you don’t even have to think about getting anything from the game.
“But there are times when you have to be brave and that’s what we’ll try to be. There are other times when you need to be in control – not the game, but the situation, and we’ll try that too.
“The last time against City we had a good idea for about 25 minutes and then it was an open game again. It can happen.
“We had a home game here where I think [Kyle] Walker didn’t cross the halfway line! It was surprising, but they still had the chance to win it in the dying minutes with [Riyad] Mahrez penalty.
“We all know how much the supporters help. We always knew it. For a long, long time, we’ve been able to ignore it, in terms of results, but not in the last few weeks. We have to make sure that the atmosphere, good or bad, doesn’t make any difference.
“It’s a football game. They don’t have an atmosphere, we don’t have an atmosphere, so let’s go with whatever we have.
