Jurgen Klopp: People are willing Liverpool to fail

Liverpool faces an intense period of fixtures and some people are willing it to fail during it, according to manager Jurgen Klopp.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp claimed some people are willing the club to fail during a gruelling schedule of fixtures.

The Reds are eight points clear at the top of the Premier League and face a crunch game against Salzburg to make the knockout phase of the Champions League on Tuesday.

Liverpool also has the Club World Cup and an EFL Cup quarterfinal on the horizon before an intense festive period.

Klopp's squad will be tested to its full capabilities, but he has backed his players to respond to the challenge and accept being rotated.

 

"When you are in a good position there are a lot who celebrate early, some hope you fail," Klopp told a news conference ahead Saturday's Premier League clash with Bournemouth.

"We are in a difficult situation with the games but accepted it. We have to deal with it.

"These players have a desire to show that they are good enough and they can deliver in moments like this. It is not that complicated; you just need players who understand the situation.

"I know when you're a football supporter, you want to play the best 11 all the time but this is not FIFA or the PlayStation. It's just how it is."

Liverpool will be forced to field separate teams in fixtures for the Club World Cup and EFL Cup, which take place a day apart on different continents.

Klopp has selected a strong 23-man squad for the trip to Qatar for the former and will give the club's youngsters a chance in the quarterfinal of the latter against Aston Villa.

 

The Liverpool boss said he ruled out the possibility of splitting his squad in two.

Klopp continued: "For us, there was absolutely no chance to do it differently, in the moment when it was clear when it would be played and all the other dates were absolutely not possible for us to play it later.

"We won the game against Arsenal, a very exciting game and I loved it, and in that moment it was clear, now we have to find a solution and the solution will not be perfect. But we try to make it as perfect as possible.

"We go with a specific squad to Qatar and try our best there. And the other ones will play here. If somebody thought I should have done it differently, I cannot change that.

"I know everybody thinks 'no chance' but football is a wonderful game.

"If you want, I'm responsible even for that game [against Villa], not being there. So they have no pressure, they just should fight for each inch on the pitch and enjoy themselves."

Klopp also expressed sympathy with sacked Everton manager Marco Silva after a 5-2 defeat in the Merseyside derby on Wednesday spelled the end of his tenure at Goodison Park.

 

The German felt Silva was not solely to blame for the club's struggles on the pitch.

"Marco is a great manager, but they thought they needed change. But we all accept this when we take a job," Klopp added.

"It is for sure not all Silva's fault. That is the situation of a coach and we all accept that. 

"I feel for him. Since I'm in England, Everton are how we all know, ambitious with big history. I said when I came in that we don't carry our history as a backpack.

"One club from the same city that has positive development and you try to catch them, that is what the manager always tries."