Jurgen Klopp told reporters that there is “much more to come” from Thiago Alcantara and Xherdan Shaqiri, who both played starring roles in Liverpool’s goalless draw with Manchester United last Sunday.
It was the Spaniard’s first Anfield appearance for the Reds, following a recent return from injury, with his former Bayern Munich teammate, Shaqiri, earning his first start since the 2-0 victory over Midtjylland in October.
Klopp on Shaqiri: "Shaq's big strength is passing, creativity, vision. Really good last pass, connects, lot of stuff. That's why he was in the lineup. 2 player on the pitch who didn't play a lot in Thiago. They both did really well. Much more to come."
— Paul Gorst (@ptgorst) January 20, 2021
Despite sharing the spoils with our bitter rivals, the pair posted more than solid performances, which may tempt Klopp to name a similar midfield for the clash with Burnley tomorrow.
We’ll be up against a somewhat similar challenge against Sean Dyche’s men, with the Clarets likely to sit back and attempt to nick a goal on the break or via a set-piece.
READ MORE: Klopp issues promising fitness update on Joel Matip ahead of Burnley clash
Having players like Thiago and Shaqiri available who can help speed up the game and drive us forward will be immensely valuable as we hope to gain our first three points since mid-December (yes, really!).
It’s likely that Klopp could drop the Swiss international in favour of Gini Wijnaldum, with Jordan Henderson set to return to the midfield (should Joel Matip be fit enough).
However, Klopp’s statement suggests that the 29-year-old could be shown more faith in the games to come – something we’d happily welcome.