Football
ESPN staff 7y

Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp 'really happy' with Roberto Firmino, striker options

Liverpool aren't wanting for talent at the striker position, says manager Jurgen Klopp, who backed his players on Friday despite a recent dry spell.

The goals have dried up in recent weeks, with the Reds managing to score more than one goal just twice over their last six matches -- a far cry from the start to the season when they performed the feat in three of their opening four fixtures in all competitions.

Meanwhile, Manchester United and Chelsea have seen their big-money signings at the position thrive thus far. Romelu Lukaku has scored 10 times in his first nine games in a United shirt, and Alvaro Morata has knocked in six in five Premier League matches.

But Klopp says he's content to have the trio of Roberto Firmino, Daniel Sturridge and Dominic Solanke at Anfield.

"Is there any strikers apart from the boys you mentioned?" Klopp told outlets in the UK. "We considered a lot over the summer. But it's not the time to talk about what we considered.

"If there is a striker out there who is better than ours or fits better than ours, why shouldn't we do it?

"We are not crazy. But I'm really happy. We have Roberto Firmino, maybe not 25 goals but ask anyone in the Premier League and they will say 'What a player.'

"We have Daniel Sturridge. We all know about his potential. Now he's fit, so hopefully we can use it. And then everyone will ask for a fit Daniel Sturridge and want to have him.

"And we have Dom Solanke for sure the biggest English talent in the position No. 9. That's a fantastic situation."

Firmino was disappointing against Leicester City last week and Spartak Moscow in the Champions League on Tuesday.

However, Klopp was quick to defend the Brazil international ahead of Sunday's trip to Newcastle.

"That we don't score at this moment is not the fault of one player," Klopp said.

"Yes, maybe Harry Kane would have scored one or two of the chances we had, probably yes.

"But he missed chances in other games in other moments of his career. So it's not always about asking for other players. It's to work with what you have and that's what we're doing.

"Taking more chances, everybody could do this. Roberto as a player is really, really good.

"There's no doubt about it anymore. The second chance he had after the cross from Hendo [Jordan Henderson], I think he didn't see the ball. On another day, he would score in that situation.

"Because Morata is now really working and is a perfect fit, because Lukaku is the perfect fit for Manchester United, because Harry Kane is now scoring, because [Alexandre] Lacazette is doing well. We had other things we felt we needed to do first. For us, the market was not really there.

"You cannot buy just because you think you will not score enough. We have enough chances and we will score. We had no chance for Lukaku, that would have been an interesting move! We have to sort our things out and maybe it's your job to think about all the other guys at other clubs.

"We have a very good fit to make the best of it and that's what we're trying to do."

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