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José Mourinho has made it clear that he does not think Liverpool will be affected by injuries when Tottenham visit Anfield on Wednesday as they sought to put pressure on the defending Premier League champions.
The Spurs manager highlighted how Jürgen Klopp had been in charge at Liverpool since October 2015, while he had taken over in North London only in November last year. In other words, Klopp has had time to build, to mold Liverpool exactly the way he wanted, and expectations should be adjusted accordingly.
Mourinho targeted Klopp for the injuries, questioning the perception that Liverpool are going through an injury crisis. Klopp has lost Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez to long-term problems and his other recognized senior central midfielder, Joël Matip, was forced to retire in Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Fulham. Matip faces a physical fitness test.
Liverpool have other players out, including James Milner, Thiago Alcântara and Diogo Jota, but Mourinho suggested that the situation came down to losing only one first-choice player in Van Dijk.
“Alexander-Arnold is not injured,” Mourinho said. “Matip… I think he’s going to play. Fabinho is not injured. Robertson was not hurt. Henderson is not injured. Wijnaldum was not injured. Salah was not hurt. Firmino is not injured. Mané is not injured. Van Dijk is Injured and Van Dijk is a very good player, of course. But give me Liverpool’s injury list and compare that injury list to which is the best Liverpool team and then … “
Mourinho reported that Japhet Tanganga had injured his shoulder against Antwerp last Thursday and would be out for a few weeks and Érik Lamela (foot) was not yet available. Gareth Bale (illness) is a doubt. He added that the club had additional injuries in its lower categories.
But is Lloris hurt? No, ”Mourinho continued. Alderweireld injured? No. Dier hurt? No. Reguilón injured? No. Harry Kane hurt? No. Injured son? No. Lucas hurt? No. So where are the injuries? [in terms of regular starters]? Injuries are normal. James Milner is injured. Lamela is injured. All clubs have injuries from time to time. Liverpool have a great injury that is Van Dijk ”.
Mourinho declines to say that Spurs are in contention for the title despite their impressive start, which has seen them lose just once in the league, on the opening weekend against Everton. It’s much better to focus on teams like Liverpool, he hinted, who have built their reputations over a longer period of time.
“Our period of good results is a few months and a results machine is, of course, much more than that,” Mourinho said. “A results machine is what Liverpool has been for the last few years, what my Chelsea was in the period when we won the two titles in a row.
“We are a good team that works hard but Liverpool is the result, if I am not mistaken, of 1,894 days of work with Jürgen. If I’m wrong, I’m wrong for a few days. And we are the work of 390 days. But these 390 days are false because many of these days were not even work days, they were quarantine days, being at home without being able to work. So from almost 2000 to 300, so that we can compete at the level that we are doing, I can only give the players credit and be very happy with what they are doing.
“We don’t have to make any statement [at Anfield]. We just want to play a game and win it. And if we don’t win it and the responsibility for that is Liverpool’s responsibility, then great. Thursday morning we will be here and on Sunday we will play again [against Leicester] to win again. It is not a statement, it is just a coincidence. But I don’t hide that we are going there and our goal is to win ”.
