Jurgen Klopp has promised Takumi Minamino more first-team game time in the next few weeks as Liverpool’s injury crisis continues and Mo Salah and Sadio Mane prepare for the African Cup of Nations in January.
Liverpool currently have seven senior players out with various injuries and Minamino, who scored with his first touch in yesterday’s 4-0 defeat of Arsenal, may finally be offered a run of games according to the German boss.
“You can’t imagine how happy I am with Taki, He’s in an incredible moment and today he was actually our solution for four positions, I think,” he told the press (via Liverpool Echo).
“Five positions actually because he could have played both eight positions and all three upfront. He’s in a really good moment and you see that.
“I’m pretty sure he played really well for Japan in the international games. Now he’s here and very important for us.
“We’re so happy, everybody was so happy for him that he scored the goal. The way he played today reflects how well he is training at the moment.
“He will have games, no doubt about that.”
It was always going to be hard for the Japanese international to cement a regular starting spot given the fact that he has world-class players such as Salah and Mane ahead of him in the pecking order.
His attitude has remained very professional, however, and the No.18’s work was rewarded when he netted his third goal of the season just 45 seconds after coming on.
It was great to see the former Salzburg man have such an impact – our entire squad is going to be vital as we head into the festive period.
We will need players all around the team contributing goals in order to close the gap on league leaders Chelsea.