Jürgen Klopp met with the media ahead of what he called a “Massive Match” vs Newcastle United. The boss discussed why the match was so big, the success the Magpies have had this season and the fact that Liverpool finally has players returning from injury.
Admittedly this match is not against Everton, Manchester United, or another one of Liverpool's traditional rivals, but this match feels big and Klopp agrees
“A massive game,” he said said. “So if we want to reach something this season, we have to chase everybody – especially the teams ahead of us in the table. There is no doubt about that. It's not easy, it will never be easy, but I think the only way you can do it is to give it a try, and that's what we have to do, of course. But everybody knows that, you don't have to mention that. That's clear. So, tough one. Newcastle, best defense in the league, lost only once, I heard now, and that was against us when we needed a late, late goal, so obviously very consistent – which is the first step into success, always.”
In that game Klopp is referencing, Liverpool did indeed take the 2-1 win but it took a late strike from Fabio Carvalho deep in stoppage time to do it. Since that Week 5 matchup, Newcastle is unbeaten and they sit 4th on the EPL Table. Klopp gives a lot of credit for Newcaste's success to their manager Eddie Howe.
“Eddie is doing an exceptional job, absolutely exceptional. The financial possibilities they have or will have in the future, it's exceptional and so far it's not that it's because of that – not at all. Eddie came there in a difficult situation. They stayed comfortably in the league, stuff like this and then the new season's not like you didn't recognise the team anymore from last year, like a complete overhaul or whatever. So, building on the team they had, improving players who were there – like Almiron, I always liked him but the way they are playing now obviously fits him extremely well.”
After struggling with injuries much of the year, Liverpool is finally getting players back on the pitch which can help bolster the team for a mid to late-season push up the table or in the Champions League.
“That's massive (to have players back,” Klopp said. “But again Bobby (Roberto Firmino) in the end was eight weeks as well. So that's long, it's a long time.Diogo Jota, obviously, was longer out, so we have to look now how we can use them. But, of course, with the amount of games coming up, we hope we can go to the next round of the Champions League as well. So, it means we will have 17 [games] in the league, but two more at least in the Champions League – hopefully four, six, seven [games], or whatever, if you want to go to the final probably. So we will be ready for that.”
Jürgen Klopp rarely puts more of an emphasis on one game in the EPL over another, but he did this one. The Magpies have flown under the radar all season in spite of only losing that one match to Liverpool. (I doubled checked their results just to make sure I saw them correctly). Klopp rightly gives Eddie Howe tons of credit for Newcastle's performance this, year, but he is also confident that with players returning from injury, Liverpool can make a push to salvage the season.
