Jurgen Klopp dismisses need for 'massive changes' at Liverpool

Four matches without a win, the last three without scoring, has led to scrutiny not previously experienced by the defending champions

Thu, 21 Jan, 2021 - 00:00

Carl Markham

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp wants his players to be more resilient and insists he is well aware of the reality facing his side.

Four matches without a win, the last three without scoring, has led to scrutiny not previously experienced by the defending champions.

That their last fixture, a goalless draw, was against arch-rivals and in-form Manchester United has been somewhat overlooked in the debate surrounding their dip in form.

A lack of goals is being held up as the prime reason for their recent failures but ahead of tonight's home game with Burnley Klopp believes only fine margins separate his side from a return to winning ways.

“We all know it is all about results but sometimes you can see little steps in the right direction or not,” he said.

“But it is nothing for you (the media) because you can’t deal with small details. You make them big things. You are not ready for this information.

“We wanted to play better but there were a lot of good signs and I cannot ignore them and I will not.

“You cannot change the approach because everybody who has no real idea about the job expects now massive changes, from the wake-up call to the nutrition, because we don’t have the results. Sometimes we have to be really, not stubborn, resilient maybe, and do it.

“I understand that at the moment in the press conference people think ‘Oh he is so entertaining’ and now they think ‘What kind of mood is he in?’, ‘Does he see reality?’

“It (scrutiny) is just getting earlier and earlier but it is all fine. We are on it, believe me.”

Klopp’s side cannot yet take encouragement from videos of Virgil Van Dijk in Dubai stepping up his rehabilitation from surgery on an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

The club have been reluctant to rule the influential centre-back out, absent since mid-October, of the whole season and while the manager was optimistic he was also cautious about raising expectations.

“I don’t know what is possible and I don’t think I am the right person to judge it,” he said.

“He looks really good and I spoke to him this morning and he is in a good mood but I don’t know when he will be back.

“I had this injury myself but for the time we are in and how long he is out he looks really really promising.”

Burnley keeper Nick Pope believes Liverpool’s recent lean run makes them an even more dangerous proposition ahead of tonight's clash.

“I don’t think there is any danger of us thinking that or taking Liverpool lightly.

“They have scored one in four and you kind of think there will be goals around the corner. I don’t think we will be looking in four games’ time and they have only scored one more. I think we have got to be wary of that.

“Going into the game we cannot take them lightly or look at them less so than we did last season when we went to Anfield and they were already champions. The mindset and attitude we have to have is the same as last season.

“We have to be confident. We are going around the Premier League to different grounds in a lot better place to a couple of years ago. We are kind of thinking we can get points anywhere.

“We need to have that attitude: no fear, protect our goal, attack with freedom and try to get points out of the game.”

Pope, who made his full Premier League debut at Anfield in a game which ended as a 1-1 draw in September 2017, spoke of his relief and optimism at the club’s recent takeover, which ended months of speculation.

Investment firm ALK Capital completed its acquisition of Burnley on New Year’s Eve and new chairman Alan Pace has pledged to back manager Sean Dyche in the January transfer window to help the club retain their top-flight status.

Pope said: “When it dragged on and you hear rumours and then it doesn’t get done, I think that doesn’t help a team.

“I’ve been at clubs before where takeovers are spoken about and rumoured but don’t happen or take a long time to happen and that can have a negative effect.

“The fact that it got done, it does give you a boost and drains away all the negativity. We can look forward now. The new owners seem ambitious and want to take the club forward and what more can you ask for as a player or fan?”