Klopp relishing fully-fit squad ahead of Champions League tie against Inter


Trent Alexander-Arnold said yesterday that Liverpool are capable of winning a treble this season as they prepare for their Champions League last-16 tie against Inter Milan.
The Reds, who finished trophyless last year after winning the Champions League and Premier League in consecutive campaigns, are hunting silverware in four competitions this term.
Alexander-Arnold believes Liverpool proved they can cope with competing on multiple fronts in 2019, when they were crowned European champions and came agonisingly close to winning the Premier League.
Jurgen Klopp’s men head to Italy for the first leg of the Inter tie today.
They are also in the League Cup final against Chelsea and the FA Cup fifth round against Norwich, while trailing Premier League leaders Manchester City by nine points.
Catching City remains possible, but if the champions pull away, Alexander-Arnold expects Liverpool to push hard for the remaining prizes.
“To be in all four fronts is good for us,” Alexander-Arnold said.
“Our focus is on making sure we are still in all four competitions for as long as we can go.
“Looking at it now, there is only the league that is not really in our hands – all the other cup competitions we are in we believe we can win them or beat everyone on our day if we get it right.”
Alexander-Arnold admitted the players felt they could have won more in recent years with the talent in the squad, but the England right-back pointed out Liverpool had won the Champions League, which City have not managed. “We don’t feel disappointed that we haven’t won enough trophies because we feel the ones we have won are the biggest and the best that you can get your hands on,” he said. “Obviously not making any digs but you look at Man City’s amazing team and they haven’t been able to lift the Champions League. They have won a couple of Prems but they haven’t been able to win the Champions League and we have won both in the last few years.”
A fully-fit Liverpool squad is a “good situation” to have ahead of the Inter Milan tie, Klopp said.
Klopp has a full squad at his disposal with club captain Jordan Henderson back from injury, and forwards Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane making their first starts since returning from the Africa Cup of Nations in Liverpool’s win over Burnley.
“It’s a good situation to have. It helps that we have options and solutions for different problems,” Klopp told reporters. “We need fresh legs for this game, but much more important is we can change five times in the game.
“Hendo is fine. He got a knock on his knee, today was the second day of recovery for him and a lot of players, so it was not the longest session. There are no issues really.
“Both Mo and Sadio don’t drink alcohol at all and they’re both a force of nature, so they recover extremely quickly. I’m not surprised that they’re already back to playing.”
Liverpool’s opponents Inter, second in the Serie A standings, have collected one point from their last two league games, but Klopp insisted that the Italian champions will be a difficult proposition for his side. “A top, top, top class team with a top class manager. Probably the best team again in Italy this season,” Klopp said. “They have conceded a few goals in the league recently, but they’re rock solid.
“Very well organised, very well drilled, and they also have creativity on the pitch and good individual quality. We need to show a top-class performance to even have a chance.”
Liverpool, European champions in 2019, failed to win a trophy in the previous season but remain in contention to win four tournaments this time around.