Jurgen Klopp press conference: Possible transfers; Man Utd comments; Liverpool's slow start
By Sean Walsh
Jurgen Klopp has spoken to the media ahead of Liverpool's Premier League clash with Bournemouth on Saturday.
The Reds welcome the Cherries to Anfield looking to secure their first win of the new season.
Liverpool opened the campaign with disappointing draws against Fulham and Crystal Palace, before losing to struggling rivals Manchester United on Monday.
Here's what Klopp said on Friday afternoon...
Transfers
What's the latest on transfers?
"We are working constantly on these things. Sometimes it's expensive, sometimes not the right player, but we're working. If something will happen or not, I don't know."
How can the team improve?
"I am in support of this team but my main job is to put things right. I can learn a lot in my life when things haven't gone well. Not my favourite situation but I like this part of the job. We need to find a perfect way to fight the outside world again."
Man Utd loss
Do you stand by your comments that Liverpool should have won against Man Utd?
"I know how it sounds but we should have won this game if we did little things better, so now we have to find out. The team we lined up with was more than good enough to play a top game. I want to fight through this, players come back and we'll get better results.
"We respect the result. We had chances and they blocked them with all they had. We didn't have that and that's what we have to involve in our game. It's done and dusted. The situation isn't what we wanted but it's a challenge, I like it. We have to fight back.
"We had 70% possession. We respect the result and they had good chances, but we had good moments and they blocked them with all they had. But the United game is gone, done and dusted. Situation not what we wanted but it's a challenge."
What did you make of James Milner and Virgil van Dijk's argument after conceding the first goal?
"We spoke about everything [this week]. Milly is an emotional player and I had plenty of conversations with my best friends like this on the pitch. It looks more serious than it is. No problem at all.
"We spoke about pretty much everything. I hadn't seen the Millie and Virg pictures, he is pretty much an emotional player. There is nothing in it really. They were discussing things on the pitch, no problem at all."
Liverpool's performances this season
What have you made of Liverpool's performances so far this season?
"In one of four games [including the Community Shield] we didn't perform - Fulham. We did other good stuff [in the rest] and now it is Bournemouth, I don't take anything for granted. I want to be the one team no-one wants to play against again. That's the plan for tomorrow."
Is there a hangover from the disappointing end to last season?
"The season we played last year ends how it ends, in the future you look back and it's not the season everyone will talk about as we 'only' won two [trophies] from four but we will look back at it as a special season. No-one is carrying anything [from how it ended] to stop them flying."
How do Liverpool improve from here?
"We have to improve. So we can improve effort immediately. It was maybe 95 but we need 100%. It's all football things and we have the football solutions for it. Things we achieved were never easy, so no-one should expect it's easy now. Let's go for it together.
"We need to give Ali the chance for a clean sheet he cannot do it alone, so we have to defend better. And then attack better, everyone is responsible for everything. This start looks difficult but it's not impossible."
Is it too early to worry about dropped points?
"You can worry [about points] if you want but it doesn't make too much sense. If you worry about other teams it doesn't help. This team delivered an incredibly high level in last few years. So often winning but we don't take it for granted. We have to work hard for it.
"It's too early to close the season and that is it for us. No-one knows what we can achieve this season, there are a lot of points to get but we should start collecting them."
Injuries
Is anyone fit again for the weekend?
"Nobody for the weekend. But after that, Joel [Matip], Curtis [Jones], Thiago is not far away, Diogo [Jota] is getting closer, Caoimhin [Kelleher] will be in training next week as well. Don't think anybody will be ready for tomorrow."