Jurgen Klopp has insisted Liverpool will offer up “no excuses” as he issued a rallying cry to an injury-hit squad ahead of what is sure to be a gruelling period.
Already without Thiago, Joel Matip, Stefan Bajcetic, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dominik Szoboszlai, the Reds have been hit by further fitness blows to Alisson, Curtis Jones and Diogo Jota.
The timing could hardly be worse given that Klopp’s men are preparing for what could be a run of eight games in 26 days up to the next international break.
However, the manager is relishing the challenge of putting out a team capable of winning each of those fixtures, particularly given it is likely to require some creative selections.
He said: “I always had to be flexible, always.
“It’s not a real problem to be honest, as long as you have the players available, you use the boys, you know what they can do.
“In the moment when we had the problems with both natural left-backs out, you find a solution and the solution worked out brilliantly.
“You don’t have the No. 6 as you would see before the season, who can play there? How can you sort that? That’s the job to do.
“If it’s not an hour before the game – because then it becomes really tricky, because it’s a little talk and hope – as long as you have a session at least then it’s fine, because these boys are all really good on the ball and have to be good against the ball.
“We had to be flexible, but that was rather good fun than a problem.
“It would be better if I just said no injuries, all fine, and then we just talk about the luxury problem of who will start, we didn’t have that a lot.
“But in the moment you get the news, just deal with it and then go from there. There are no excuses and we will try everything.
“We said it before there are 5,000 different ways to win a football game, you only have to find one.
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“That should always be possible, especially at home where we can, if we all are ready, generate a dynamic where people can grow above themselves.
“You become the best version of yourself and who cares then about the number on your back or the position you play? It’s actually not really important.
“It’s about what can you contribute and what can you bring to the team. That’s what, if we didn’t know it before, we all learned it this year.
“The boys like that as well, the different approaches always based on the situation we have as a team. That is what we will keep trying.”
So far this season, Klopp has leaned heavily on the club’s academy to plug gaps in his squad, with Jarell Quansah and Conor Bradley the two most notable beneficiaries.
And he has suggested that more youngsters could be asked to step up in the coming weeks as he looks to deal with a growing list of absentees.
He added: “We are where we are because of them, because the boys really delivered. We will see how many of them we will have to use and will give the opportunity.
“Obviously in a good moment, they all can be in, that’s how it is. We still have options there, definitely, players who showed already what they can do like James [McConnell] or Bobby [Clark].
“Others even who didn’t feature yet but are in or around that, [Lewis] Koumas, Dannsy (Jayden Danns), Trey [Nyoni], they are all massive talents.
“So we will see what we do. Now, we are just planning for tomorrow and from there we will [see].”
