Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp welcomes break in fixtures to prepare for Arsenal clash

Sport360 staff 15:09 28/10/2018
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  • Jurgen Klopp has welcomed an interlude from the crowded fixture list as Liverpool get a full week to prepare for their next assignment.

    Liverpool are vying for honours on both domestic and European fronts, contributing towards a hectic schedule in which three fixtures in the span of eight days has been a common occurrence.

    However, their early exit from the Carabao Cup means they will not be in midweek action next week, allowing the players – some of whom undertook long-haul trips during the recent international break – a brief respite.

    Arsenal await Liverpool next Saturday and the Reds could travel to the Emirates Stadium as Premier League leaders after brushing aside Cardiff 4-1 to go three points clear of Manchester City, who visit Tottenham on Monday.

    Klopp said: “We won the game and that’s really good and for us it’s just the next step.

    “Now we have time to recover which is the first time for a lot of the boys and they don’t play in three days again. Our international players haven’t had that since I don’t know when, it’s long ago.

    “So we will use the time to recover and prepare for the Arsenal game which will be another nice challenge.”

    Mohamed Salah opened the scoring against Cardiff while Sadio Mane struck either side of substitute Xherdan Shaqiri’s first Liverpool goal.

    Mane feels Liverpool’s feared front trio comprising of himself, Salah and Roberto Firmino are only able to flourish because of the support they receive behind them.
    The three frontmen continue to terrorise defences, having bagged 57 league goals between them last season.

    But Mane told Liverpool’s official website: “People always talk about the front three – but it’s the team, the work starts behind us. They make it easier, we are lucky boys and score all the time but all the team did their job.”

    Cardiff briefly threatened when Callum Paterson halved Liverpool’s lead after 77 minutes with the visitors’ first shot on goal.

    Shaqiri and then Mane made the game safe for Liverpool, who enjoyed 80 per cent possession and had 19 attempts at goal in a dominant display as they continued their unbeaten start in the top-flight this season.

    “We played very well even though it was a little bit tight in the second half after it went to 2-1,” Mane added.

    “It’s part of football. But after that we controlled the game and created many chances. At the end we scored four goals so I think we deserved to win.”

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