Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp spoke with the media on Friday, and covered various topics including the fixture change following the Champions League draw.
We learned on Friday that we’ll face Manchester City in the quarter-finals of the Champions League next month, with the first leg taking place on April 4, with the second meeting at the Etihad Stadium on April 10.
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A knock-on effect of that has been a change in kick-off time for the Merseyside derby, which has seemingly been moved to Saturday April 7 with a 12:30 kick-off, as per the comments below.
It’s fair to say that the boss wasn’t impressed with the changes, as the schedule will really now test our resilience and fitness at a stage in the season where there will already be tired legs from a gruelling campaign.
“I’m already angry to be honest. I heard a second ago that the Premier League will put our game against Everton to 12.30pm on Saturday,” he is quoted as saying by the Liverpool Echo. “That’s not too cool but obviously we have to go the hard way and I’m used to that as well.
“Whoever made the schedule didn’t think we’d make the quarter finals because they gave us a Sunday game. It’s only Liverpool.”
Meanwhile, Klopp also acknowledged that this weekend’s clash with Watford is going to be a difficult one, and so he noted the ‘revenge feeling’ of using the team’s frustration after losing to Man Utd to their advantage and bouncing back with a strong performance.
A win would be a major boost in our bid to secure a top-four finish, with those around us all in action in the FA Cup this weekend and so that would pile the pressure on them to respond.
Further, in arguably another stand-out comment from the manager, he defended Trent Alexander-Arnold after the youngster had a difficult afternoon at Old Trafford last weekend.
In truth, we could have defended better as a team for both goals conceded, but the 19-year-old had a particularly difficult time dealing with Marcus Rashford.
However, Klopp offered him some reassuring words to boost his confidence and it’s great to hear as the youngster will only develop and improve with experience.
“The reason Trent is playing is not because he’s Trent or he’s a Scouser. It’s because of his quality,” he said, as per Sky Sports. “The goal was bad defending but not him alone. Because of his age he will make mistakes but he will learn.”