Liverpool’s struggles continued last Sunday as a late 2-1 defeat at Brighton ended their defence of the FA Cup, and they will be aiming to register their first league victory of the calendar year when they travel to face Julen Lopetegui’s relegation-threatened side this weekend.
It will be the third time the teams have met in the space of four weeks. An FA Cup double-header last month saw the Reds progress via a 1-0 victory in the Molineux replay, following a controversial 2-2 draw at Anfield 10 days earlier.
That remains the only win of 2023 so far for the Merseysiders, who will go in to this encounter in 10th place if Chelsea avoid defeat against Fulham on Friday night.
Lopetegui, meanwhile, has helped the West Midlanders out of the bottom three, overseen an improvement in performances and brought in several exciting January signings since his November appointment.
The arrivals Matheus Cunha, Mario Lemina, Pablo Sarabia, Craig Dawson, Dan Bentley and João Gomes made for a productive-looking window.
The former Real Madrid boss will also be after a response, though, given his team’s last outing was a 3-0 loss at Manchester City on 22nd January.
Amongst other things, Klopp’s press conference saw him discuss challenging upcoming fixtures, potential return dates for the likes of Diogo Jota, Roberto Firmino and Virgil van Dijk, and if he expects this latest meeting with Wolves to follow a similar pattern to the recent cup ties.
“We have the second half of the season”
The Merseyside derby, a trip to in-form Newcastle, the Champions League round of 16 clash with Real Madrid and the visit of Manchester United each jump off the page when looking at what’s to come for the Reds in the next six weeks or so.
When asked about the approaching matches, though, Klopp was understandably keen to take a measured approach, emphasising his desire to build on improved recent performances – and keep the focus firmly on the Wolves game.
“Oh, I don’t worry about run of fixtures. No, not at all. No, no, no – we have to use the time we have in our hands to improve, to play the football we want to play, to work on things we think that are necessary or massively necessary for the way we want to play football,” said the German.
“That’s what we did now, all the time. Then I understand 100% when we speak and your first question – we saw steps, definitely. We were much better in a lot of areas.
“Then, in the end, when the result is not right, that overshadows everything, but we will fight for results and there is a lot to go for.
“And half the season only is played which is crazy but means we have the second half of the season. We can do whatever we want in a positive direction as well and that’s obviously what the plan is.
“But, it’s not about now thinking about the next fixtures, just the next fixture and that is tomorrow, Wolves, and that’s the start in the second part of the season and we decide how positive the outcome will be.”
Injuries are “looking better”
There was also the customary, and crucial, fitness update.
When asked about the injury list – which has been lengthy for much of 2022/23 – Klopp offered the latest on each of Jota, Firmino, Luis Díaz, Van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté, who sustained a muscular issue in Sunday’s defeat on the south coast.
“Yeah, generally, it’s looking better,” said the 55-year-old.
“Diogo Jota had a full session with the team this week but then next day he had again a rehab session. Not because of the session the day before, just it’s part of a plan. So, I think he will be pretty much back in normal training next week.
“Bobby [Firmino] is getting closer obviously, very good. Luis [Díaz] is running now. That will take a few weeks still but [he] is now out on the pitch as well running, which is really good.
“Ibou [Konaté] is out. Virgil [van Dijk] is getting closer but not ready for the game obviously. Parts of training I think next week as well for Virgil.”
Klopp was then asked more specifically about Konaté’s issue and the potential impact of changing the centre-back partnership once again.
“Yeah, it’s perfect,” he said, tongue somewhat in cheek.
“No, Ibou has a muscle injury and, again, he didn’t think it’s massive. It happened in the game. I asked him ‘Are you okay?’, ‘Yeah, I’m okay.’ After the game: treatment, scan – bam, out.
“Yeah, partnership, it’s not cool. Always the changes, of course, you don’t want to have that.
“Again, it’s like these changes you want to make them when you rotate or bring them together – everybody in the perfect moment.
“But, Joe [Gomez] and Joël [Matip] obviously played together before, so it’s not a massive problem but it’s not perfect, that’s clear.”
Fabinho “knows that he’s not flying”
Another question focused on Fabinho’s current situation. The Brazilian defensive midfielder has endured a notable drop-off in form this season, which has seen 18-year-old Stefan Bajčetić start at the base of the midfield in recent weeks.
Klopp clarified the 29-year-old’s awareness of the situation, praised his impact over the years and highlighted the value of what Bajčetić is offering at present.
“So, we don’t have arguments on the pitch or whatever, or on the training ground, if you think that. No, not at all,” he said.
“He [Fabinho] knows that he’s not flying. Has to work his way back, that’s how it is.
“So, it’s now really helpful that we have Stefan [Bajčetić] to be 100% honest because he’s doing really well and you need this in this position.
“You need a guy who wins challenges, who protects everybody pretty much, but who plays football as well.
“Fab did that for us for plenty of years. Absolutely brilliant, best in position for a long time, and in the moment it’s not clicking – that’s true as well. So, we have to go through that, nothing else.
“He’s not the happiest person on the planet but he understands the decision, obviously.”
Match won’t be “too different” to FA Cup ties
With those two recent meetings with Wolves still fresh in the memory, Klopp then explained why he expected Saturday’s game to follow a relatively similar pattern.
“Not really completely different. Different lineups a little bit.
“How I said, when [Rúben] Neves and [Matheus] Nunes play together [for Wolves] it is different. So far in these two [FA Cup] games they shared, pretty much, the game time.
“No, I think Wolves’ coach is a coach who stands for a specific way to play and they are now longer together. So, that’s what we will see again, I guess.
“Yeah, using the pitch, big switches, stuff like this, speed, these kind of things. So, no, I don’t expect it [to be] too different.”