Defiant Klopp backs Liverpool to ‘fight’ through current injury crisis

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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp says his side’s injury problems will only bring the squad closer together as they prepare to return to action this weekend.

The Reds have confirmed they will be without captain Jordan Henderson and Trent Alexander-Arnold for Sunday’s meeting with Leicester through injury. Mohamed Salah will also be absent after his positive COVID-19 results.

They join a long list, which includes the first choice centre back pairing of Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez, of players who are currently unavailable.

But Klopp is refusing to dwell on the misfortune that his struck his squad on the fitness front in recent weeks. Instead, he says his team are ready to work hard for one another and get through a potentially difficult period.

“We are a unit, a proper, proper unit, and the more problems we have, the closer we stick together,” the German told the club’s official website.

“It was always like this and will always be like this at this club. We don’t go for excuses. We have the situation we have, we don’t like the injuries we have because it is really hard for the boys who have the injuries, but all the rest is working on solutions. That’s what we always do.

“We have solutions in our mind; maybe we think we have the worst situation possible, but the season is long and we have only played eight games, so there will be a lot of problems.

“I have always said, whoever deals best with the problems in front of them has a chance to be really successful. That’s what we try to be.”

Liverpool won’t be ‘giving up’

Some have predicted Liverpool’s form, and bid to retain their title, will crumble after the loss of a number of key players.

They currently sit third in the table, just a point from the top, but face in-form table toppers Leicester at Anfield next up. Therefore they could find themselves four points off the pace by the end of the weekend.

It is a tough assignment for the Merseyside club, but Klopp insists the champions will “use the situation” they find themselves in to keep pushing forward.

“I don’t think my players have to prove anything,” he added. “We always deal with difficult situations really well. We will fight with all we have and that means if the problems become bigger, you get closer to each other and then you still fight.

“If somebody thinks we will give up just before the game just because some of our best players – our very, very important players – are not available in the moment for a long, long time, then I cannot help them.

“We will not do that, we just have to accept the situation and use the situation. That’s how it always is in life – and that’s how it is in our situation.”

READ MORE: Brendan Rodgers says Liverpool are still able to “really hurt” teams despite their injury issues.