Liverpool have earned trust and faith of Anfield crowd, boss Jurgen Klopp says

By Dev Trehan

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp remembers the feeling when fans left early last season and says it's up to the team to create excitement

Jurgen Klopp insists the atmosphere surrounding Liverpool is completely different to the last time they faced Crystal Palace at Anfield.

Third-placed Liverpool are six games away from securing a return to the Champions League and entertain the Eagles on Super Sunday, live and exclusive on Sky Sports 1 HD.

Palace sealed a famous 2-1 victory against Klopp's men in the same fixture last season, with lifelong Liverpool fan Scott Dann scoring an 82nd minute headed winner, prompting the Anfield crowd to leave in their droves before the final whistle.

Image: Scott Dann celebrates scoring his side's winner at Anfield last season

After the game Klopp said he was "disappointed" the fans had left early, adding it had left him feeling "pretty alone".

Reminded of the quotes at his news conference ahead of Sunday's visit of Palace, Klopp said: "Ha ha ha! Oh my God - that's good [that you remember that]. Thanks!

Advertisement

"A few fans closed the game a little bit early, that's not how I am. It changed a lot since then.

Live Nissan Super Sunday

"I think the team earned more trust, more faith, more belief. People think that we can change a game in the last few minutes.

Also See:

"I feel really good with people at the moment, how we act as a Liverpool family, and that's really cool. The atmosphere is good.

"We have to deliver, after an emotional start from the stands, it's our job to deliver excitement and that's what we try to do. It feels like it could be a mistake to leave early and that's what I want.".

Image: Joel Matip (pictured), Ragnar Klavan and Lucas have not trained this week

While his goalkeepers are not a concern, Klopp has other issues over an injury list which is being stretched day-by-day with the likes of midfielder-cum-defender Lucas Leiva and centre-backs Joel Matip and Ragnar Klavan unable to train this week.

Klopp revealed he could hand Joe Gomez his first Premier League appearance this season after the 19-year-old featured for Liverpool's U23s in their 3-1 win over Leicester on Monday.

"What can I say? Today I don't have to find a solution for next year. I have to find a solution for the weekend," Klopp said.

Image: Jordan Henderson has not featured for Liverpool in two-and-a-half months

"Maybe we have to try this pair [Gomez and Dejan Lovren] but of course it would help if we could play consistently the same couple. It would be nice.

"We have had a few unlucky things. Nothing was because of intensity. It's not too cool. There are still a few days to go to work on solutions."

Of the longer-term problems, Klopp admits there is a real prospect captain Jordan Henderson will not play again this season because of the foot problem which has sidelined him since early February.

Image: Joe Gomez returned to action January after 15 months out following a serious knee injury

Asked whether Henderson's campaign could be over, the Reds boss added: "I don't know, we will see.

"At this moment he cannot really train so we have to wait for this, that was the plan from the beginning.

"We are in intense talks with different medical departments but we have to wait. He is already not patient anymore.

"He looks really healthy but he cannot play football and that is the situation at the moment. If something changes we can talk about it."

Outbrain