90min

Jürgen Klopp Claims Liverpool's Leaky Defence Doesn't Concern Him Ahead of Genk Clash

By Robbie Copeland

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Jürgen Klopp says his side's lack of clean sheets doesn't concern him - as long as they keep winning games.

The Premier League leaders were renowned for their defensive record last season but, as they prepare to take on Genk at Anfield in the Champions League, they have kept just three clean sheets in their 17 competitive games - ​much to the frustration of goalkeeper Alisson. 

Despite their relative defensive fragility, they sit six points clear at the top of the Premier League with the chance to extend that to nine next weekend, and could put themselves in a good position to qualify for the knockout stages for the ​Champions League with a positive result on Tuesday. 

They ​edged past Aston Villa without being at their best on Saturday, and Klopp says as long as the wins keep coming, the clean sheets can wait. 

"I wasn't sure we would score [vs Aston VIlla], but I knew we would try," Klopp said, as quoted by the ​Liverpool Echo. 

"Late goals v Spurs, Man Utd, Villa, it is important. I don't care, we have to win but I don't expect perfection. 

"We usually defend set-pieces very well but we accept Villa did well. You can concede goals like this. No problem, We carried on and then we got the win.

"Only 11 games now, we try to improve. Our main target isn't clean sheets. We want them but we have to win."

Squad-wise, Klopp says there are no new injuries ahead of the visit of Genk. While the prospect of facing Manchester City at the weekend won't affect his selection, though, he admits he has to keeping in mind the tight turnaround between the win at Villa and European duty when selecting his side. 

"I think [it’s] pretty much as we looked before the last game [against] Aston Villa, nothing really changed," he said.

"The problem is not now the game on Sunday [against Manchester City] because between Tuesday and Sunday is a lot of time, but of course we have to think a little bit about Saturday to Tuesday – that’s the shorter break between the games, so we have to think.

"This period was absolutely OK because we made changes against ​Arsenal, we had to, then we played Aston Villa, now we have to look a little bit at what we do tomorrow night. But then we have enough time to prepare for City."

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