Jurgen Klopp has confirmed that Liverpool's search for a new sporting director is on track, with current incumbent Julian Ward set to leave in the summer.
Since Ward's decision to leave was made public, speculation has persisted on who will take over in the role, the German suggested that search was nearing a conclusion.
“I am not involved in talks, maybe talks around, yes, I'm not the person at the club who can give a real answer about where it stands, that is in the hands of other people, what I heard it is all going in the right direction.
How many clubs are there out there without a sporting director now? Is there any club without a sporting director or a guy in the role of a sporting director?
Pretty much everyone has a sporting director, it makes sense."
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Stability vital to ongoing form
The German suggested that being able to field unchanged starting line-ups has been vital to the Reds mini-revival in recent weeks.
“It has been important but we have had the option to change as well, that is good.
The players had to prove themselves that they want to start again, and all the others had to show me that they want to start, that was the mood we had in training, and that helped.
Having 11 players all the time is good, but there is a point where it could be too intense, but for these three games it worked out and I am happy with that."
However, he insisted that his side have not found the consistency that they require yet, despite winning their last two games.
"We have to still prove ourselves, we cannot talk about consistency when you win two games, especially when you win the second game like the last one.
I liked a lot in the game but obviously defending their throw-ins was not perfect, to say the least.
We have to make the next step, to keep going, a lot of things to like in the last two and a half games, and that is what we have to continue, to make sure it is not that difficult for people to watch us, that they like it again.
We changed a couple of things, the way we defend all together must be different to a lot of games we played this season, and it will stay a subject until I leave here.
We struggled with set pieces, at least throw-ins, but in all other games we were super stable and that is super important.
West Ham are a top set-piece team as well, so that is what we have to be prepared for, but the ball will on the ground from time to time, and its where we have to make sure we can control the game, as difficult as it will be."
The only new injury concern for Liverpool is Ibrahima Konate but Klopp was confident that he will make the trip to London, whilst Roberto Firmino and Naby Keita remain out.
“We use the full-time until we leave today, Ibou, we need to see but in the moment I am rather positive but that doesn't mean a lot.
Possible starters, I think, that is it.
[Firmino] This week, no, I hope that in the end of the week he is closer.
[Keita] If everything goes well I think he could be in partial training today, not in team training yet, could do warming up, rondos, then he has to do his own program, much closer."
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Moyes must stay
The Reds manager joked that his counterpart should stay in the London Stadium dugout as he is the only Premier League manager that is older than the 55-year-old.
“Usually I don't look that much at other clubs, but this specific one, I was really in it, because if West Ham would have sacked David Moyes, I would have been the oldest manager in the Premier League and I want to avoid that.
Fingers crossed, David has to stay. He is a top colleague, doing an incredible job, they are showing the quality again.
A really nice guy, a really good person. Top manager, he always finds a way to get a team going.
It did not work out for him years ago at Man United but that was the most difficult moment to join Manchester United in the history of football, coming after Sir Alex Ferguson, congratulations, easy job.
It is clear, it is always difficult to play them, he always finds a way to win football games and I respect that a lot.
If they can go through games without big injuries, all of a sudden they are able to play really good stuff, like they did last season and the season before.
So, super dangerous and difficult game for us, we must be uncomfortable to play against.”
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Jota leading from the front
Diogo Jota has scored four in his last two games against Leeds and Nottingham Forest and Klopp was full of praise for the Portuguese forward.
"Exceptional player, since Diogo joined, he did exceptional stuff for us, and super smart player, can play different positions, super interesting skills for an offensive player.
Not the tallest but an extreme threat in the air, timing is top, can finish with both feet, has the speed.
Diogo was a really bad injury, before that little things here and there, so that kept him a little bit back, nothing else.
If Diogo can stay fit, he is a really outstanding player because he knows how football goes, he is one of these players you could discuss all day.
His only problem was that he got the injury, when you are that long injured, you need rhythm, that is the most difficult thing, it is an ongoing season, nobody waits for you.
For that reason, it is really cool that he could score these goals, all of them were obviously super important."
Klopp also emphasised the important of his attacker defending from the front, insisting that he is not just looking for goals from his offensive options.
"It is important for us, the boys are there not only for scoring we need them for defending.
It gives you stability if you defend as a unit, we don't need any players waiting in position for the counter-attack, we need players to defend collectively, in that moment when we get the ball then we have the speed, the technique to cause problems for other teams.
I hope we can keep them fit until the end of the season, then they will play their role and are all allowed to and invited to score, like our midfielders, because most of the goals are set up by other players, Fab, Trent, Robbo, Hendo.
If these boys are fit, we have real quality in that area of the pitch, for long time this year some of them were not fit and that gave us some problems."
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Bradley's Bolton boost
Conor Bradley has been in fantastic form during his loan spell at Bolton Wanderers this season and Klopp confirmed that he is expected to return and play a role in the Reds pre-season campaign.
"We are in constant contact. We are watching really closely what he is doing and it is great.
We knew what we had in our hands when he was here, but for young boys, there must be the opportunity to make the next step, with playing and I think it was a win-win situation.
Our plans are bring him back, go in the pre-season then decide what we will be doing from that moment on.
I think it is a confidence boost when you are invited and play for your country. I am pretty sure it is very special.
I think one and a half years ago, only a few football nerds would have known about him and now everybody knows him, that is cool and it is the first step.
He is our boy, which I like a lot, super mentality, which is helpful.
Conor will be our player but how it is in that age group, we have to see if it makes more sense him going out on loan after pre-season or not."
