Klopp stresses need for defensive solidity ahead of Arsenal clash

Jurgen Klopp is pleased with Liverpool’s recent defensive record but has stressed his players will need to be “spot on” at Arsenal tonight.

While the Merseyside outfit have frequently dazzled with their attacking this season, their defence has been criticised at times.

Since losing 4-1 to Tottenham at Wembley in October, though, they have conceded only four goals in nine Premier League games.

Reds boss Klopp has no doubt those “numbers are important” but has emphasised Arsenal pose a considerable threat.

The German — whose side are fourth in the table, a place and a point better off than Arsenal — said: “We are a team who are very offensive-orientated, but that doesn’t mean you have to give any space away.

“The boys did well in different systems, which I really like a lot because that is the biggest improvement, but only because they now do the jobs in the moment, much more often.

“There are always things to work on, that’s how football is, but of course the numbers are important — only four (conceded) in the last nine is good.

“But it’s in the past. We have to be ready for a different challenge on Friday. It’s Arsenal and they have quite a talented group there! We need to be spot on in this specific part of the game.”

Klopp was asked ahead of the Arsenal game if his side’s defensive record of late had had an effect on what he might be thinking in terms of January business.

And he said: “Everything we are doing has influence on our plans. That’s all I can say about that.

“So, yes, it has influence. But I don’t know exactly in which way. So you’ll have to wait a little bit.

“When we win a game and when we defend well, then I’m happy about it. If we defend not that good as a team, then I’m not happy about it, but I don’t think then the solution is a new player always.

“For example, Alberto Moreno did fantastic this season, and then we played at Sevilla and he did not well. People didn’t hesitate to say: ‘That’s why we need a new left-back’. And I think: ‘Wow’.

“So thank God, I, or we, here make the decisions and nobody else.

“We are not relaxed, but we have a view on everything and it needs to fit together and everything needs to work out in the end, and you need to have solutions for different situations and systems and all that stuff.

“So far, it’s okay. It could have been better, but it could have been much worse. Now, we prepare for Arsenal and we have to be defensively really, really strong in that game, otherwise we don’t have a chance.”

For his part, Arsene Wenger has called on his Arsenal players to avenge their Anfield thrashing at the start of the season.

The Gunners were thoroughly outclassed as Klopp’s side won 4-0 when the pair clashed in August’s Premier League meeting.

With the summer transfer window coming to a close, Wenger opted to field Liverpool-bound Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and put his two new recruits — Sead Kolasinac and Alexandre Lacazette — on the bench.

Liverpool were rampant as Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah, and Daniel Sturridge all got on the scoresheet for the hosts.

Goalkeeper Petr Cech recently described the loss as “one of the worst experiences” of his career and now Wenger wants his team to turn the tables tonight.

“When you have such a long career as I have, you have some defeats unfortunately that hurt you for the rest of your life,” he said. “I believe what is interesting in football is you always have a time to make up for it. When you can put things right, do it.

“So let’s focus on what is in front of us and turn up on Friday night with a completely different performance.

“The motivation is there. This squad has a good mentality and it is about us, to make sure we are on top of our game. We must play with pace and a determined attitude.”

Plenty of eyebrows were raised when Wenger included Oxlade-Chamberlain in his team despite the fact reports continued to link him with a move away.

The England international eventually left for Anfield on transfer deadline day and, while Wenger stopped short of admitting he should not have played the 24-year-old in the game, he did concede mistakes had been made.

“It would be not fair to put the defeat at Liverpool, where the whole team had a bad performance, on one player,” he said when asked if he regretted selecting Oxlade-Chamberlain.

“After that, on the other side, you analyse ‘did you make mistakes or not?’ You cannot go home and say everything was perfect when you lose like we did.

“I rate Alex highly and he knows that. After that, you want all the players to be respected who have played for us.”

Wenger is likely to welcome defender Shkodran Mustafi back into his side tonight following the Germany international’s recovery from a thigh problem.

He will be without both Olivier Giroud and Aaron Ramsey as the pair are stricken with hamstring injuries.

For Liverpool, striker Sturridge (hamstring and illness) and defender Joel Matip (adductor) are doubts while Alberto Moreno is still sidelined with his ankle problem.