Klopp irked by absence of Liverpool man in PFA team

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp says the PFA Premier League Team of the Year could have included 11 Reds players.

The team voted for by Premier League players at the start of the year includes four Liverpool players –  Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil Van Dijk, Andy Robertson and Sadio Mane, but Klopp says it could have been a clean sweep.

Mo Salah, who was Liverpool’s only representative last season, did not make the XI despite his 19 goals in the league this time around – a fact which has irked Klopp.

“It’s impressive. It’s good and deserved,” said Klopp, who denied Liverpool were signing Lorenzo Insigne. “For me, my team is team of the season anyway.

“From my point of view, there’s could have been four, five, six, maybe seven more players involved.

“The players in the PL make the decision so it’s the most honest competition of the year, even when the players don’t watch the game.

“When you come in the team as a defender obviously players came up against them and felt uncomfortable.

“Mo deserved to be in there, Gini plays an incredible season, Hendo is in a moment of shape, if it was today he would probably be in.

“All the players deserve to be in.”

Asked about Salah’s time in New York this week having been voted in Time’s list of 100 most influential people, Klopp said: “He’s back. Travelling these days is no problem.

“It would be more a problem if his car broke down and he had to walk.

“I’m proud of [his award]. There is a lot on TV and newspapers and most of the time we don’t say smart things.

“Mo is a very smart person and has inspired some people on one side to think about a few things and on the other side people saw that and are aware of him.

“It is very important that he has an opinion and makes that opinion public.

“We always say football is not the most important thing in the world. Yes he missed a session but today he will be back.

“He looked brilliant and met a lot of famous people! Maybe if he asked me I’d have joined him.”

PFA Premier League Team of the Year 2019: Ederson (Manchester City), Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Virgil Van Dijk (Liverpool), Aymeric Laporte (Manchester City), Andy Robertson (Liverpool), Paul Pogba (Manchester United), Bernardo Silva (Manchester City), Fernandinho (Manchester City), Sergio Aguero (Manchester City), Raheem Sterling (Manchester City), Sadio Mane (Liverpool).