Jurgen Klopp has said he is “ready to fight” through the intensive festive schedule that he believes can shape Liverpool’s challenge for the Premier League.
Liverpool are nine points behind the leaders, Chelsea, who visit Anfield at the end of January, and are on a high after a dramatic stoppage-time derby win at Everton last week. However, their fitness and resources will be tested by three league games in seven days over the festive period, beginning with a home game against Stoke City on Tuesday.
Klopp's team also host Manchester City on New Year's Eve before kicking off at Sunderland 45 and a half hours later. The Liverpool manager, who admits it is unlikely Philippe Coutinho will recover from an ankle ligament injury in time to face City on Saturday, insists his squad can cope with the demands and emerge from the schedule with their Premier League credentials enhanced.
“It is a run that could do that [end a title challenge] but I am the type of guy who thinks you can make it work the other way around,” said Klopp. “It is all the same for all the teams, or nearly all the teams. We all have to go through it and in the end the teams who use all the different situations in the best way will be top of the table.
“We are better equipped than last year but then we were only together three months and of course it was my first time with a game on Boxing Day, but not my first time with games every three days. That was not the biggest surprise for me. Of course we are in another situation now but we know each other much better.
Wonderful
“We have a big bunch of wonderful experiences together and that makes us all stronger. You have to play Stoke, City and Sunderland and they have all their things what they want to reach. It is difficult but not impossible and as long as it is not impossible I am ready to fight.”
Klopp expressed bewilderment at Liverpool’s fixture schedule when it was first announced the City game had been moved to a 5.15pm kick-off for broadcasting purposes. The club’s request to delay the Sunderland kick-off was rejected by the Premier League and Klopp insists he has come to accept the decision, albeit reluctantly.
The Liverpool manager added: “The only thing is what I spoke about a few times, the doors open and close. I cannot go to the Sunderland game and still talk about the Sunderland game and say: ‘Oh, we play again.’ I have never had this moment of 44 hours between two games in a family celebrating period for nearly everybody in the Christian world. Then you have to go out and play two games within 44 hours. That is a challenge.
“We have to accept it. We accepted it a long time ago, it is nothing. I have no problem with playing 27th or 26th and then playing 31st – no problem. The only thing I spoke one or two times about is the second game two days later, 44 hours. It is like this and I have nothing to say. I had nothing to learn. I have no problem with Boxing Day, I love it. What I said before we can all have our Christmas at home and we play football. That is all cool. The only challenge we have is to find the solution of how to do it in 44 hours.”
Guardian Service
