No need for new engine

Despite midfield being a potential weak link for Liverpool, Reds boss Jurgen Klopp insisted yesterday that the team do not need a new midfielder.

Skipper Jordan Henderson and utility man James Milner are in their 30s, while Naby Keita and Thiago Alcantara have been inconsistent.

The Reds have made headlines with their signing of Uruguayan striker Darwin Nunez for a club-record fee of £85 million (S$140.8 million) from Benfica. They also added Fulham teen Fabio Carvalho, who plays as a winger or attacking midfielder.

But, on whether the club would strengthen their midfield before the transfer window closes, Klopp said yesterday: "I don't expect it really to be honest. There is no need for a new midfielder. For me, Harvey Elliott is a new signing as well. He's very young and... brilliant."

Elliott, 19, had missed large parts of the season after suffering a serious ankle injury against Leeds United last September. But he is on tour with the rest of the squad.

Klopp added: "The quality of the players we have is really, really high and people make one mistake. They underestimate the chance that a player who didn't play his best season last year might play the best season this year.

"Thank God, I'm not like this. When a player didn't perform at his highest level, it's at least 50 per cent my fault. So I have to improve. I have to help him in a better way."

Klopp was speaking at a press conference alongside left-back Andy Robertson ahead of tonight's Standard Chartered Singapore Trophy against Crystal Palace at the National Stadium. The Reds then held an hour-long open training session at the same venue, with over 10,000 fans in attendance.

Tonight's match will be their second pre-season friendly after Tuesday's 4-0 defeat by Manchester United in Bangkok.

During that match, Klopp played three teams for 30 minutes each, and he said tonight's line-up might be similar, with some players possibly getting more playing time. Besides Alisson Becker and Diogo Jota, the rest of the squad are fully fit, said Klopp.

He added: "Do I like to lose 4-0 to United? Not at all but... we have to do what we have to do. We had a longer season... it was the most intense season I've experienced so we had to give the boys (time) off for as long as possible.

"We have to train hard and a lot to have the players in the right physical state for the whole season. Pre-season games are important, but the most important games are coming up in a few weeks and that's when we have to be ready.

"For that sometimes you have to suffer... Let's see what we can do against Crystal Palace."

Klopp also called on supporters to give Nunez more time, after the new signing was criticised for missing a seemingly easy chance on goal in Bangkok.

He said: "I know with strikers, it's like this, you missed a chance and then we have this kind of nervous people out there (going) oh my god, he missed a chance. I can promise it will not be the last (time)."

After a spectacular season that saw the club coming close to winning the quadruple, the charge is on again for Klopp and his men.

Having won the League Cup and FA Cup at Wembley last season, Robertson wants to experience more of that winning feeling.

He said: "When you play (for) this club, there's always expectations on you. We have expectations of ourselves. We want to be the best versions of ourselves individually and as a team.

"We showed that for a large part of last season and the end of the season didn't go the way we wanted it to but we can look back and have fond memories. Last season drives us forward too."

Klopp said: "I don't think our chances are worse than last year or massively better. (We'll just make sure) we are ready for Fulham (when the league starts on Aug 6) and for all the others in the end.

"We respect all the opponents in the Premier League... that's nothing to do with who they've signed. The good news is at the end of the day, they only can line up 11 (players). So we have the same number and then let's give it a go."

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