Jurgen Klopp fielded questions on Xherdan Shaqiri and Bobby Duncan in his press conference on Friday after grumblings of discontent from both players.
Shaqiri has been an unused substitute in each of our last four matches and has not started a Premier League game since the 1-1 draw with Leicester City in January.
Earlier this month, he was quoted as expressing his ‘disappointment’ at his lack of gametime and admitting that he needed to ‘look at the situation and find a solution’.
Klopp dismissed any suggestion that Shaqiri is not doing enough on the training pitch to earn minutes and assured the Swiss that he will be utilised soon enough.
“Shaq is training well, that’s the situation,” he told the press, as quoted by liverpoolfc.com.
“It’s the first four weeks of the season, that’s how it is. That’s probably the hardest period for players who are not [playing].
“In training, Shaq doesn’t have to improve in any way if he can keep the level he is doing at the moment.
“Of course he can improve like how everybody can improve, but it’s not about that – he doesn’t have to show anything special.
“We will need him, he knows that 100 per cent.”
Meanwhile, as has been heavily publicised, it’s been a turbulent week for 18-year-old prospect Bobby Duncan.
An explosive statement suggested that the club were neglecting the forward’s mental health by refusing his supposed request to leave.
Klopp was predictably tight-lipped on the sensitive situation, but insisted that the club is deeply concerned with the wellbeing of its youngsters.
“There was an official statement from the club on that,” was his response. “It’s really difficult to talk about as a non-native speaker.
“What I can say is that Bobby is one of our young players and we really care about our young players.”