The Liverpool manager previewed Monday’s Premier League trip to St Mary’s with the media immediately after the goalless draw at Newcastle United in midweek.
Thiago made his return with a 73rd-minute introduction on Tyneside after two-and-a-half months out injured – and Klopp was quizzed on when the midfielder is now likely to start a game.
With Joel Matip confirmed to be sidelined for the next few weeks due to an adductor issue, the boss also assessed the possibility of the club seeking defensive reinforcements in the transfer market this month.
And Klopp reflected on Jones’ progress as he was asked if he believes the Academy graduate could step up to the senior England national team in 2021.
Read a transcript of his chat with the media below…
On whether Thiago will be ready to start a match in the coming week…
Unfortunately, I don’t know him that long. A few months only. So if I would like to answer the question, I don’t know exactly what to say. That he could play 20 [minutes against Newcastle] is pretty special, I would say, because [he had] only two sessions with the team; one of the sessions he was the joker, so I’m not sure you can count that really. But this game [at Newcastle] gave us the opportunity to do it because it was mainly about creating and that’s obviously his best skill. So we will see. There’s a chance. He played 20 [minutes] so there’s a chance. But I don’t even know how he reacts until [Thursday], we will see if he can get out of bed or not! Or if he has kind of muscle soreness or something like that. He enjoyed the few minutes obviously and then we will talk new. But, how I said, I like speaking about Thiago, it’s absolutely no problem, but honestly the boys who did the job so far did exceptionally well, I have to say. It’s not that we could not survive if he cannot start the next game. But it’s very good that he is now fit and is obviously in contention. I like that a lot.
On Matip’s injury and if Liverpool have solutions in the squad or will need to use the January transfer window…
We have solutions in the squad, obviously. Yes, we struggled still. The injuries we had now from a specific moment happened most of the time in the centre-half position. That’s clear, it’s because some players are injured, play pretty quick – like Joel – and then get injured again. I don’t know how to say it but it just can happen like this when it starts at one point and it doesn’t stop. We have solutions in the squad and if we can, or if we will, do something in the window I don’t know, it’s really like that. It’s a very difficult transfer window, how you can imagine; not a lot of clubs have real money, some clubs don’t have money but don’t need money as well. So that’s the situation.
Doing ‘something’ makes no sense. Doing the right thing would make sense. But doing ‘something’ makes no sense. So far, as long as we are in the situation we are, we have to deal with it. And we do. And I liked Nat [Phillips against Newcastle], I really liked what he did. He’s just an absolutely clear, completely clear boy, knows about his abilities and is using it and is just doing the job. He helped us a lot. It was clear he would play [at Newcastle] because we have three centre-halves in the moment, so if Rhys [Williams] would have played again then Nat wouldn’t have played for five or six weeks, which makes no sense because he needs rhythm as well. We have to think a lot, obviously, about these kind of things. He did a really good job.
On Jones’ chances of playing for the senior England team in 2021…
That’s a question for Gareth Southgate, I think. I don’t think he is too long in the U21s. Not my decision but I’m really happy that we have him and he has a chance to play in our team, that’s more important to me. About the midfield options for the national team, I don’t know. A really good player and in the future he will play for England, I’m pretty sure. If it’s this summer, I don’t know.
On what Jones will learn from the West Bromwich Albion game and if he is more mature than his age…
It’s very important, so this situation, that’s the world and the football world: you make a lot of good stuff and in one thing you hit an opponent when you want to play a pass or you pass a little bit too late and everybody is talking about it. So, 100 per cent he learns from things like this, definitely. It’s a very intense period for him as well and how he did so far is absolutely outstanding. I don’t know what it would have been [like] with all the injuries if he wouldn’t have been there. So I’m really happy about everything. And that football players make mistakes or make wrong decisions, I knew before. That can happen, especially when you get tired – that was for sure the case in the [West Brom] game. But again [against Newcastle], a top game, really good player, all good.
On the tight situation at the top of the table and whether this season is tougher than last…
For sure, but last season was very tough for us as well, it’s not that we thought, ‘Oh my God, it’s that easy.’ It was really tough. And this year is tough again. We wish it would not be that close but I’m not surprised that it’s close. We have our situation, all the other clubs have their situation. Our season is so far, so good. Not more, not less. We try to be ready for each game. How I said, I liked the reaction [against Newcastle] from the second half against West Brom. That was good. Now Southampton will ask for different things, we have to be ready again. Then Aston Villa, then Manchester United. Yeah, this season is a tough one for the supporters. If you are neutral then you will love it, I’m pretty sure, because it will go to the wire probably. But it’s just tough for all of us, that’s the reason why it’s so close.