Liverpool Manager Jurgen Klopp met the media a few hours ago to preview this weekend’s Premier League clash against Welsh side Cardiff City at Anfield. We have video of the entire media session for you here below via YouTube.
There were a whole host of topics covered in the Klopp news conference, including: the importance of Joe Gomez, the quality of their opponent, his eagerness to meet the opposing manager, Neil Warnock, after the game tomorrow night, Virgil van Dijk being voted captain by the players and much much more:
Jurgen Klopp asked his roster of players to elect a new captain and vice-captain before the resounding Champions League win over Red Star Belgrade on Wednesday with Captain Jordan Henderson injured and Vice-Captain James Milner still working his way back to fitness.
Virgil van Dijk got the most votes with Georginio Wijnaldum coming in second.
“I really think Milly and Hendo are doing an outstanding job for the club and the team,” said Klopp. “Being ambassador for the club on one side and impressive for the team on the other side is brilliant. They combine pretty much everything.”
“When I came in I built a players’ committee.”
“There were five-six players including Lucas Leiva, Adam Lallana and Phil Coutinho. This team has grown now and they all have very, very demanding and confident players in the squad so you can decide who of them you want. It was a close decision. Dejan [Lovren] was close, Adam was close. They all had their votes.”
“The players see it in the right way – that the players could do the job.”
“Virgil is still young, he looks more of a man than he really is,” the German continued.
“There is nothing wrong with that and he can still improve. If you see and hear him you think there is big distance between him and you because he looks impressive. It is good for him to have this responsibility and there will be a day for sure when Gini will wear the armband. He will be very proud of that as well.”
“These two guys do a similar thing in Holland for the national team. It is a natural thing. The boys saw it as well and that is why they have this committee.”
Liverpool vs Cardiff City FC FYIs
Liverpool Starting XI Prediction: go to this link
Injury Report for both teams: go to this link
Kickoff: Saturday October 27, 3pm BST, Anfield
Odds via Bet365: Liverpool 1/10, Draw 8/1, Cardiff City FC 20/1
Prediction: Liverpool 3, Cardiff City FC 0
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, regularly appears as a guest pundit on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
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