Jurgen Klopp says Liverpool youngsters will get their chance
Wednesday 14 December 2016 07:24, UK
Jurgen Klopp has given his backing to Liverpool's set of promising youngsters and insisted they will get opportunities under him.
An injury crisis has threatened to derail Liverpool's Premier League title challenge, with Emre Can recently joining Philippe Coutinho, Daniel Sturridge and long-term absentee Danny Ings on the sidelines, leading to suggestions a number of the squad's younger players will get their chance.
Prospects Trent Alex-Arnold, Ben Woodburn and Ovie Ejaria have already featured under Klopp this season, predominately in the EFL Cup, while fellow youngsters Sheyi Ojo and Cameron Brannagan have impressed for the club's development squad.
Klopp, who saw his side held to a 2-2 draw by West Ham on Sunday, seven days after their late collapse at Bournemouth, said: "I love our young players. They are brilliant but West Ham was not a game to bring them in. We believe in them, of course, and we will use them for sure. It's not perfect but what can I talk about?
"We cannot change it in this moment, because you will start asking about what I will do in the transfer window.
"Players will come back, we will see how another one develops and take our decisions. We take what we get.
"It's far away from being the perfect situation."
With a hectic festive schedule on the horizon, the Liverpool manager was also certain that his side's title rivals will soon have injury problems of their own.
"The difference is, if you want, that we have had our (injury) problems already. Other teams will get them because no one will go through without problems," he added.
Liverpool can leapfrog Arsenal into second place on Wednesday if they defeat Middlesbrough by at least three goals at the Riverside Stadium.
