Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp spoke to the media before tomorrow’s game against Wolves at Anfield.
Liverpool have been hugely unlucky with injuries this season, with the likes of Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota, Arthur Melo, Thiago, Virgil van Dijk and others all ruled out for extended periods of time at different points throughout the season.
Klopp was asked about the part injuries have played in the team’s inconsistent form this season and whether Liverpool have a squad with enough depth to challenge for the big trophies.
The German believes the sheer amount of games his players have played over the last two seasons has caught up with them. Liverpool player every possible game in all competitions last season.
“For sure, some, the immediate impact from last season. For example, when Diogo got injured during the international period. Came back, was back, then did it again.
“Other injuries were affected by long season, short break, and short pre-season. And some, Ibou and Virg, were after the World Cup. I don’t think last season was too influential for that but in general, the amount of games might have been influential.
“We had bad knee injuries with Luis, which was an impact. Ibou’s first injury was impact at the end of the pre-season. It all depends on each other.”
Klopp continued, “The most difficult thing is when you have too many injuries, the problem is the other players have to play too often. Then they get injured when the other players get back, but they need time to get back to their best. That’s the situation you are in.
“We didn’t have the full squad on the training pitch yet but last week, without Thiago and Lucho, there were 26 players out there on the pitch. Goalies not counted, so that makes it 28 when they aren’t injured.
“The squad is not too small, it’s not that we don’t have players. But we never had them together and most of the time we have six, seven, eight players out.
“Now we don’t have that amount, hopefully it stays like this and it would be massively helpful for this decisive period of the season.”
