Jurgen Klopp has admitted he is excited to have a near fully fit squad available to him as Liverpool continue to compete on four fronts.
The Reds will be without Sadio Mane for Thursday night’s trip to Leicester City due the former’s Africa Cup of Nations final victory, while Jordan Henderson is a doubt with a back injury, however both could be back for Sunday’s trip to Burnley.
It’s a stark cry from the majority of the season so far when Liverpool have had to field younger players like Tyler Morton and have been limited for options in midfield and attack, following on from last year’s centre-back injury crisis.
With so many capable options at his disposal, Klopp took the opportunity when speaking ahead of Thursday’s match with Leicester to praise his entire squad and offer a reminder of their talents.
“I actually can’t remember any time in my career when that happened (having a fully available squad) so I’m really cautious talking about it,” he told reporters. “I don’t like it too much.
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“We have to use it (the squad). That’s our responsibility now. There is obviously quality there but it is not important who is playing, it’s important how we play. In different line-ups we played some good stuff.
“That’s what we have to do, and dealing with the situation is the job we have now. It’s a pretty new one but it’s exciting.
“We never moaned about the quality of the players. If we had some problems injury-wise, the problem was the intensity of the schedule because you play every three days and you have only have 16 or 17, sometimes 14, senior players available.
“That makes it tricky but not the potential that the boys have. They are all outstanding. If you sign a contract for Liverpool, you are an outstanding player, I can tell.
“We think a lot about before we sign a player so we know he is pretty good.”
He continued: “The young boys did great, absolutely great. Their futures are bright, that’s really cool. Really cool.
“That we could give them this opportunity to do it was great, that they took it was absolutely great. The work with them will never stop.
“For the other players, I don’t know what you mean. Who stepped in? They are all Liverpool players.
“That is the job we agreed on. In the moment when you play, you have to perform. They are high-quality players.
“When there is a chance, you have to perform and that’s what they did. Stepping in is part of football life.
“You sit on the bench, you come on or you start without starting the game before. It’s all about your own mindset. We try to help the boys with all we can but they have to deliver themselves, with the help of all the other boys around.
“That’s what they did in a really impressive manner and that’s what we have to do in the next few weeks and months as well.”
