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| Klopp warns Liverpool |
SUNDERLAND: Jurgen Klopp insists Liverpool won't
take Premier League strugglers Sunderland lightly after ending
high-flying Leicester's long unbeaten run.
Klopp's side became the
first side to stop Leicester scoring in the league this season as
Claudio Ranieri's team were beaten 1-0 at Anfield on Saturday — their
first defeat since September.
That was Liverpool's first win in
five games and they go to Sunderland on Wednesday on the back of
successive away defeats in the Premier League.
Reds boss Klopp
therefore insists his side has no right to take anything for granted,
despite Sunderland's position in the relegation zone and their
chastening 4-1 defeat at Manchester City in their last game.
“There's
no doubt about the quality of the players, the character. What we have
to create is a stable level of performance,” Klopp said.
“We have
to go to Sunderland and be concentrated from the first second, like we
were against Leicester. We want to win at Sunderland. That's the only
reason why we travel there.
“We have no doubt as to the mentality
of the team. Nobody in the team thinks 'it's only Sunderland'. We want
to develop and get more points in these very important moments in the
league.”
Klopp expects a strong Sunderland reaction to their
defeat at City as the Wearsiders scrap for survival and will prepare his
players for a physical battle.
Liverpool will not rush back
striker Daniel Sturridge, who has returned to training following his
latest four-match injury absence with a hamstring strain, and are
awaiting the results of a scan on a hamstring injury Divock Origi
sustained against Leicester.
Winger Jordon Ibe could return
following illness, but defender Martin Skrtel and midfielder James
Milner, who is due to return to training on Tuesday, are still missing.
Shattered
Meanwhile, Sunderland boss Sam Allardyce admits he is taking a risk by turning to veteran defender Wes Brown against Liverpool.
Former
England international Brown is set for only his second appearance since
May, with his most recent coming in last month's 6-2 defeat at Everton.
The
36-year-old is on standby to replace former Manchester United team-mate
John O'Shea, who is struggling with a calf problem picked up in the
City defeat that left the Black Cats second-bottom.
With Younes Kaboul facing up to two months out with a torn hamstring, Allardyce is short on options for the Liverpool clash.
He is ready to shift his formation to protect Brown, and said: “I could have covered any injury, apart from one to John O'Shea.
“We
have Wes but he hasn't played much football at all this season so that
would be a bit of a concern. But that will be the case if John doesn't
make it.
“We'd have to play a different way and play a certain
system to use Wes' experience and also give him a little bit of
protection.
“We know that he's getting a little bit older and he's not quite as quick as he used to be.”
Following
an upturn in results after Allardyce took charge in October, Sunderland
have lost their last four games to leave them five points adrift of
safety ahead of the latest round of fixtures going into their final game
of 2015.
“We had some positive results when I arrived and I thought that would lift the confidence,” Allardyce said.
“But
all of a sudden, that confidence is shattered again. I see a lot of
fear back in the team and I have to use my experience to dispel that.
“I need to put the players in a good frame of mind so that they go out and fight their way out of this.”
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