Stoke City 0, Liverpool 1: Klopp ready to splash cash as injuries bite
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp admitted that he may be forced into the transfer market after his side’s victory in the Capital One Cup semi-final first leg at Stoke last night was tainted by hamstring injuries to playmaker Philippe Coutinho and centre-half Dejan Lovren.
Substitute Jordan Ibe proved the matchwinner as the Reds secured a slender lead ahead of the return leg at Anfield on 26 January as Liverpool continued their bid to reach a record 12th League Cup final.
But it is the Anfield club’s growing injury list which was preying on Klopp’s mind and a potential defensive crisis ahead of Friday’s FA Cup third round clash at League Two Exeter and the Premier League showdown with Arsenal next Wednesday.
“In this situation with no centre-backs fit, I would say [transfers] is something we could look at,” said Klopp,who took full responsibility for his side’s injuries and the club’s training regime at Melwood.
“It’s a big shadow over the game for us, the injuries.”
Ibe had been on the pitch less than quarter of an hour when he lashed a 37th minute shot past Stoke goalkeeper Jack Butland from eight yards, despite initially miscontrolling a miscued Joe Allen effort that had fallen invitingly for him.