Klopp unconcerned over Liverpool’s inactivity

Ian Watson

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has no doubts his players will be able to switch on their competitive instincts after their longest period of inactivity of the season.

With no FA Cup involvement last weekend the German took his players to a training camp in Spain but with their match against Leicester not until Monday night they will have had 16 days between games.

That is a marked contrast to the previous month when they played 10 games in 32 days.

The victory over fellow top-four rivals Tottenham on February 11 seems a long time ago but Klopp expects his refreshed players to come flying out of the blocks at the King Power Stadium.

“We are used to it. It is a two-week break. It’s not that we left the country and didn’t play football for a year,” said the Reds boss.

“It’s two weeks, that’s not a real problem. We played in La Manga – an internal game but it was a proper game – and we had sessions.

“It was a proper camp. Circumstances there are really good for a football camp – I knew it before because I was there five times with Dortmund when we had a winter break.

“When you have games every three days you say it’s too much but when you have one a week or a two-week break then it’s not enough.

“It’s our job to do and we know this. We have to be spot on Monday night and play the best football we are able to do.

“We expect a lot from us. We want to go there and be good, organised and we want to win the game.”

By the time Liverpool step out at the King Power they could be four points behind third-placed Tottenham.

However, they will not, fortuitously, have lost ground on fourth-placed Arsenal, one point ahead, as they have a blank weekend because of Southampton’s involvement in the EFL Cup final.

Spurs’ exit from the Europa League this week gives them just one competition to focus on and with the Gunners likely to follow (as they trail Bayern Munich 5-1 from the first leg of their Champions League tie) the race for the top four looks set to become even more focused.

It is nothing Klopp did not expect but he has not been sat at home hoping for their Champions League-chasing rivals to extend their runs in the competition.

“Everyone expects from these six teams that they become champion and if not then they get Champions League,” he added.

“I watch Champions League and Europa League games but I am not too interested in what they are doing or that I wish results or sit and wait to see who Man United get.

“It is not our cup of tea because we are not involved. I am interested and I watch these games but only to learn a few things and see how players, managers react in situations – that’s my job.”