Liverpool won’t be forced into the transfer market despite having a serious right-back shortage, according to Jurgen Klopp.
At the start of the window, the Reds could call upon Trent Alexander-Arnold, Nathaniel Clyne and 18-year-old Rafa Camacho in that position, but an injury to Alexander-Arnold and Clyne making a loan over Bournemouth has left the Portuguese youngster as their only available option.
How will Liverpool solve their right-back crisis? Five key things to know…
- At the start of the season, Liverpool had Trent-Alexander Arnold, Nathaniel Clyne and Rafa Camacho at right-back.
- Joe Gomez is also able to fill in there but he and Alexander-Arnold are now injured.
- Before their injury crisis, Clyne was allowed to leave for Bournemouth on loan, forcing James Milner to cover at right-back.
- He was sent off against Crystal Palace, though, leaving just 18-year-old Rafa Camacho as the club’s only recognised right-back.
- Klopp insists the club won’t be forced into the market and feels Camacho is ready to step up.
This has forced James Milner, who was shown a red card against Crystal Palace on Saturday, to deputise in that position but despite the shortage, Klopp is not panicking and has backed Camacho to step up to first team duties.
“Tell me a player who can play right-back, and other positions as well, better than our boys like Rafa can do?” Klopp told reporters.
“By the way, after training Ki-Jana [Hoever] has a little injury as well, not too serious and he’s probably back for the Leicester game but these things happen.
“Crystal Palace, of course, had three goalkeepers and all is fine and then the next moment you stand there with one. Do you buy another goalkeeper? I’m not sure. We have to use the resources we have already and that is what we try.”
Some fans have criticised Liverpool for allowing Clyne to leave for Bournemouth, especially with how injuries have now caught up with them.
However, Klopp has dismissed this hindsight and says he can only make decisions ‘in the moment’.
“I can imagine what people think about this situation but you have to make decisions in moments when decisions are on the table,” he added.
“That’s why Clyney is not here anymore. In that moment we had plenty of options and now we don’t have them. That’s how it is in our next games.
“Trent [Alexander-Arnold] got an injury and it’s serious but not that serious. He will be back early but I don’t know if early enough for the next game. Maybe the game after [at West Ham].
“Everyone gives me the feeling, Trent as well, that that is absolutely possible but we have to wait and cannot risk anything. We have to come through this situation.”
Liverpool are four points clear at the top of the Premier League and face Leicester City in their next game.
Klopp relieved at fixture break
With Liverpool being out of the FA and League Cups, the Reds don’t have another fixture until Wednesday, 30th January.
Meanwhile, title rivals Manchester City have cup games against Burton Albion and Burnley, as well as a league tie against Newcastle during that time.
And while Klopp as stated that he would rather still be in the cups recently, he has still admitted his relief at Liverpool’s more relaxed fixture schedule.
“Milner is out now and Fabinho will for sure be a doubt,” he told reporters after the 4-3 win over Crystal Palace.
“It would have been a massive challenge if we had to play on Wednesday and Saturday again.
“I’ve no idea how we would have done that. It would have been just two days recovery for the boys.”
The post ‘Show me a better option than Rafa’ – Liverpool right-back shortage won’t force Klopp to spend appeared first on Squawka News.
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