On whether he feels being fourth in the table at the halfway point is a fair reflection of Liverpool’s season so far…
Yes, yes. Although the margins are small. I’ve said a few things already in this press conference, so that could have influenced us having three, four, five, six points more maybe. Like [against Leeds] and like so many other games, if we would have done a bit better in set-pieces then we would have had five, six, seven points more as well, so that could have changed it a little bit. But from open play, from where we are if I look at Arsenal, look at [Manchester] City and look at us, I think it’s fair we are not above them. That we are many points behind them, there are reasons for that, which I just explained. But it wouldn’t have been fair if we were above them for the way we’ve played.
On the departure of Aaron Briggs from the coaching staff…
First of all, I want to thank him for the one-and-a-half years we worked together. He was a part – and a big part – of us winning the league last season. He has been a big help to me. He is a very good human being, a very promising young English coach, but as things sometimes happen in January or in June, both go either way and that is what happened over here as well. He will definitely find a new challenge for himself because he did a good job with us, he is a very good human being and a very promising young English coach, so he should deserve to get multiple chances again.
On whether Briggs will be replaced…
I think it would be a surprise to you if I never talk about players we bring in that I would start talking to you about names in terms of coaches we could bring in. Of course, we are looking at the situation and what is best for us now, but as long as I have no news about that I cannot share anything about it.
On the latest on Wataru Endo and Joe Gomez’s fitness…
I expect Joe to train with us [on Friday] and Wata not yet. Again, I think to see we had four players on the bench [against Leeds] that haven’t played any minutes in the Premier League and these players just keep going with so many games to go. So, if anyone was like, ‘Why does he take Florian [Wirtz] off?’ for example, two days after the [Wolves] game he felt his hamstring still too much. That’s why he couldn’t train, he only trained [on Wednesday]. With all games coming up, for me it was too much of a risk if you don’t have so many players available with Premier League experience – and, of course, Cody [Gakpo] is a good replacement to bring in.
These are all the things I, we have to take into account to keep players available with at least some Premier League experience for the schedule we are going in – and not only going in, we have already had now two months of non-stop football and most of them [even] six or seven months of non-stop playing football. Everyone stayed fit [against Leeds], positive. A clean sheet. If I have to take something positive from the game then [it is] those two things – and Ibou [Konate] didn’t get a yellow so he is not suspended.
