‘You don’t care’
Liverpool’s injury issues have become Premier League folklore this season. Despite this, the Reds put on a commanding display to shove aside Leicester City 3-0 with a makeshift back four.
James Milner, Joel Matip, Fabinho and Andrew Robertson held firm against Jamie Vardy and company. After the match, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp did not mince his words when speaking about who he blames for the injury issues of both his and other clubs across the continent.
“Sky and BT have to talk because if we keep playing on Wednesday and Saturday 12:30, I’m not sure if we will finish the season with 11 players,” said the German coach.
“I know you don’t care and that’s the problem. We’ve discussed it for a long time and nothing’s happened.”
“I don’t talk about Liverpool, I talk about all the football players out there. Yesterday, Pique, massive knee injury. Today, Saka, maybe, I’m not sure, a knee injury – he played all three games for England during the international break.
MADRID, SPAIN – NOVEMBER 21: Gerard Pique of FC Barcelona leaves the game in the second half with an injury during the La Liga Santander match between Atletico de Madrid and FC Barcelona at Estadio Wanda Metropolitano on November 21, 2020 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Diego Souto/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
“Now people tell us to rotate players but who? We have some offensive players but the rest are kids.”
“It’s a massive problem. Wednesday and Saturday 12:30 is a broadcaster problem and nothing else. We play against Atalanta on Wednesday and then 12:30 against Brighton.”
Covid friendly
It was put to Jurgen Klopp that Liverpool and the clubs have agreed to the scheduling of the matches through the contract agreements. The Premier League clubs are paid huge sums of money which they use to purchase players to transform their fortunes. Liverpool have spent handsomely on the likes of Alisson, Virgil van Dijk and many others with money made from TV revenue.
However, Klopp was quick to point out that with the current climate involving the pandemic, there should be changes to ‘adapt’ to the situation.
“Gentlemen, start talking and making decisions. I like the relationship with you,” Klopp remarked.
“If someone tells me again about contracts I’ll go really nuts. Because these contracts aren’t made for a Covid season.”
“We all have to adapt. Everything’s changed, but the contracts with the broadcasters is still: ‘We have this, so we keep this’. What? Everything changed, the whole world changed!”
The international break saw Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah contract Covid-19 after spending time at his brother’s wedding. Other players such as Arsenal’s Mohamed Elneny and Sead Kolasinac also caught the virus whilst away with their countries sparking debate as to whether it has been wise to send players to their country’s camps.
