Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp insists there can be no excuses as his side head to Sunderland after a quick turnaround in the Premier League.
Less than 44 hours after beating title rivals Manchester City in an attritional game at Anfield the Reds will be in action again at the Stadium of Light.
City and Liverpool both have 3pm kick-offs on Monday, but while Pep Guardiola’s men are at home to Burnley, the Reds had to make the 165-mile trip to the north east on Sunday.
Earlier in the day, while many people were still dragging themselves out of bed bleary-eyed after New Year celebrations, Klopp was already poring over a recording of the Black Cats’ weekend defeat at Turf Moor
‘I’ve celebrated enough in my life. It is no problem,’ said Klopp.
‘We all earn a lot of money, we all know about it and our private life changes a little bit.
‘I’ve said enough about the fixtures and long ago we accepted it.
‘No excuses for no-one – that’s how everyone wants it. We have to deliver – and we will deliver.’
Klopp is likely to have to make at least one change after captain Jordan Henderson was forced off with a heel injury – although not the same issue which has plagued him for a year now – in the win over City.
‘In this moment, it’s a little bit of pain in the heel,’ he added.
‘If Hendo is limping it is probably a little bit more pain. We have to see. We don’t know exactly in this moment.’
Any other alterations to the starting line-up will depend on what his conditioning staff tell him.
‘Usually after a game you ask a lot of questions and if you get an answer you can rest a player, but I am pretty sure I will not ask a lot of questions like ‘How do you feel’,’ Klopp said.
‘I will wait for some information from the medical department but we will not have a proper session (on Sunday).
‘I can make a line-up when the medical department gives me an opportunity to and the players who are fit will play.
‘It was very important we won against City. It would be really hard to go to Sunderland if you got nothing so we will go there and play our best.’
