Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp fired up for Anfield debut in Europa League
Thursday 22 October 2015 11:35, UK
Jurgen Klopp cannot wait for Liverpool's Europa League match against Rubin Kazan on Thursday, his first game at Anfield as Reds manager.
The former Borussia Dortmund boss kicked off his Liverpool career with a solid goalless draw for his injury-depleted side at Tottenham on Saturday.
Speaking on Wednesday, Klopp revealed that injured striker Daniel Sturridge would miss the visit of Rubin Kazan, adding that his team's performance against Spurs had given him hope for the season.
With the Premier League challenges on hold until the trip to Southampton for the Super Sunday clash, Liverpool will welcome their Russian visitors and the German is fired up to put on a show in front of the home fans.
"I'm really looking forward to this game, it's by night, by light and a special atmosphere," Klopp said.
"It's my first home game and hopefully we can take this special atmosphere and transport it into the game. I want to go there, I want to feel it. That's what we're all waiting for, these special moments.
"Of course if somebody wants to surprise us and be louder and wilder than ever in your life, try to! We have to concentrate but we have to be open for help from outside. If somebody wants to help us then that's cool.
"This Europa League is quite open. It could be a big step for us in this group. We want to see the next step in our development. We have this experience of the Tottenham game. It wasn't perfect but it was a step in the right direction.
"Now this is completely different. Tottenham press hard and that was why the game was so wild. Rubin Kazan have a special style in play. We have to be very careful and concentrate and fight for the second balls because they play long balls.
Live Ford Super Sunday
"We have to be organised and be fully concentrated in set-plays because they are taller than us. That is the challenge. But hopefully we'll be a bigger challenge for them.
"We have to be patient, in a football way. I hope no-one is waiting for it to be 4-0 after three minutes and is then disappointed."
Klopp lost Sturridge to a minor knee problem hours before Saturday's kick-off again Tottenham, while Danny Ings and Joe Gomez were ruled out for the season with knee ligament injuries this week.
On Sturridge, Klopp added: "He's getting better and better. Monday he was outside and it was OK. The target for him is Sunday [home to Southampton]."
Regarding Ings and Gomez, Klopp said: "They are on their way back. They had their cruciate operations and both went well with no complications."
Klopp also confirmed Christian Benteke, Roberto Firmino and Dejan Lovren were all back in training ahead of Thursday's Europa League match.
Benteke has not played since suffering a hamstring problem on September 20 against Norwich, while Firmino has been on the sidelines with a back injury picked up in the Capital One Cup three days later.
