Jürgen Klopp has allayed concerns over his health and ordered Liverpool’s players to keep him out of hospital by winning games.
The Liverpool manager missed training on Wednesday when he visited a local hospital as a precautionary measure. “I have been twice in a British hospital now,” said Klopp, who had an appendix operation in February 2016, “and whatever people say about it, the NHS is not as bad as you think!” The 50-year-old confirmed he was given the all-clear by doctors before being released on Wednesday night and allowed to take training at Melwood the following day.
“I am really completely fine,” he explained. “It is not that someone should expect I have to go back in to hospital tomorrow. I told the players that the doctor said the only thing that can kill me is if we lose football games. That’s it. I am completely fine. It was nothing. It is like it is sometimes when people think: ‘Oh, that’s it.’ I went there and they said: ‘OK, all good,’ but for this they needed a little bit of time. They have a lot of machines. I knew from the first second that I had nothing – unfortunately I was the only one. Afterwards everybody knew it.”
Klopp appeared more concerned about the health of Liverpool’s squad before Southampton’s visit to Anfield, a game that marks the start of a demanding sequence of 13 matches between Saturday and 1 January. Joël Matip is doubtful with a groin problem and Adam Lallana is unlikely to make his first start of the season despite resuming full training earlier this week. But with Lallana recovered from a thigh injury sustained in pre-season, Sadio Mané in contention to face his former club after a hamstring scare and Philippe Coutinho available following an adductor problem, the Liverpool manager admits his squad is nearing full fitness at the right time.
“Everyone will be required, 100%,” said Klopp, who last season cited a gruelling fixture schedule with Liverpool’s January downturn. “If the players don’t know that I need them all in this period then I cannot help them. That is how it is. We need them and we need them in the best, best, best shape. We have only important games. Southampton is unbelievably important. Sevilla next week? Unbelievable. Chelsea next Saturday? Wow. It goes bam-bam-bam but I am looking forward to it. It is really good. Hopefully we can keep this group healthy, fit and full of desire.”
The Liverpool manager also praised Gareth Southgate’s decision to give Dominic Solanke his senior England debut against Brazil on Tuesday, despite the 20-year-old starting only once at club level this season. Klopp insists the former Chelsea striker and the Liverpool defender Joe Gomez represent the country’s future at international level.
He added: “It was 100% the right decision. It was a situation where a few players were missing but he will be a future player for England. He has got everything you need. You saw in 15 minutes that he got involved immediately. That is him. Next time he is involved it will be no problem. Players like him, Joe, Tammy Abraham and Ruben Loftus-Cheek are the future for England. It is cool. If they want to be involved a little earlier or a little later, no problem. He has quality and that is good.”
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