Liverpool travel to Russia to take on Spartak Moscow in their second Champions League group game.

The Reds were held by Sevilla in their opener and their defensive deficiencies were again on show against Leicester on Saturday, despite the win.

Klopp will be hoping things improve against Spartak.

He can call on Sadio Mane again with the Senegalese winger having missed the win over Leicester due to his ban.

Joe Gomez is suspended following his red card against Sevilla.

Liverpool squad: Karius, Mignolet, Ward, Lovren, Klavan, Moreno, Robertson, Matip, Flanagan, Alexander-Arnold, Wijnaldum, Milner, Henderson, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Can, Firmino, Coutinho, Salah, Sturridge, Mane, Solanke

That’s your lot.

What a bonkers press conference.

Jurgen Klopp was clearly agitated throughout and will need a drink after that.

Reaction to follow.

On difficult first season

I learned from my time at Mainz and learned from last season.

I take positives from negative situations.

I feel prepared to push on from now.

On learning from Russian goalkeepers

I remember Akinfeev.

He put in very good performances and you look at all the top goalkeepers to learn from.

But I try to do my own thing and not copy anyone.

I am happy to play in this competition.

It is something you dream of when you are younger.

Of course, I want to play in the Premier League - that is my goal for the future.

On competition for places

There is a lot of competition.

At a great club like this, there is competition for every spot.

When I get to play, it is a chance to prove himself to the manager and show I am ready.

Karius on defensive issues

We score a lot of goals but we concede a few.

We are very offensive and I think that is down to our style of play.

It works very well for us in some games but we know we can defend better.

We will learn from it.

Karius asked about Spartak

We expect a difficult game.

These are new surroundings for a lot of us.

It is a strong team and we don’t exactly know what to expect.

But we will be ready.

That’s that.

Loris Karius will be with us shortly.

Will this part of the press conference run any smoother?

Klopp isn't happy!

The Liverpool boss has clearly been left frustrated.

His answer on Kane is translated but he cuts in and says it is waste of time.

He will need a drink after this - and he’s not the only one!

Is Klopp in love with any of his players?

I don’t understand this business - in a Champions League press conferece!

When I say I love the club, I love the players.

I love Harry Kane too! I love good footballers.

Jurgen Klopp has been helping the translator with some of the answers.

It’s all a bit all over the place in Moscow.

Stay with us!

On Quincy Promes interest

He is a good player. A very good player.

Nothing else to say.

We have a lot of good players already.

He is very good in one on one situations.

But he isn’t the only good player in the Spartak team.

Questions from the Russian media have left Klopp a little puzzled.

The translations don’t seem to be working either.

All a bit crazy!

On Philippe Coutinho

I still hope he can be better.

He was in a good way before his back problems and now he is again.

He had a very good game at the weekend.

On defensive improvement

We need to work better together.

It is a team thing.

I talk about the team performance when we defend.

We must do that better.

What threat do Spartak pose?

They are a very strong and experienced side.

This season has been difficult but they have had a lot of injuries.

We will be ready and we need to be.

It is a difficult place to win.

He's here!

The Liverpool boss is in the house.

Loris Karius, who has been confirmed as a starter, is alongside him.

Stay tuned.

Coutinho to go in January?

Philippe Coutinho has reportedly reiterated his desire to join Barcelona, as Liverpool have opened the door to a possible January exit.

The Brazilian was the subject of a number of bids from the La Liga side during the summer transfer window, as the Reds dug their heels in, rejecting a final offer of more than £100million.

Coutinho is back in action with Jurgen Klopp’s side, netting in the 3-2 win at Leicester on Saturday evening.

But according to Spanish outlet Sport , Liverpool are now ‘contemplating the possibility’ of selling the 25-year-old to the Catalan side.

They say that Coutinho has again expressed his desire to leave the club and following talks between his representatives and Fenway Sports Group, a departure next summer or even in January could now occur.

Philippe Coutinho (
Image:
Action Images via Reuters)

Karius to start

Jurgen Klopp has confirmed Loris Karius will start for Liverpool in Russia.

The German was handed a rare outing against Sevilla in the opening group stage game.

And he looks set to keep his place in the competition this term.

I am not sure if I have to make a decision like this [the club’s ‘Champions League goalkeeper’]. It’s all about performing.


That shouldn’t be taken as me saying, ‘You are not performing, you’re out of the goal’. Everyone is allowed to make mistakes or whatever, but it’s about performing in training and the games for all of our goalkeepers.


He will play tomorrow and we will see, but Simon is the No.1 and that’s the situation.

(
Image:
Liverpool FC/Getty)

Welcome

Jurgen Klopp insists he’s a good defensive coach, despite Liverpool’s recent woes at the back.

Saturday’s 3-2 win at Leicester meant that the Reds have conceded 10 goals in their last three Premier League away games - the most they have ever conceded over a three-game period on the road in the division.

The 11 Premier League goals they have shipped in are the joint most for a side outside the bottom four.

But the German insists the Reds will be ‘fine’ this season.

“Usually, I’m a really good defensive coach but obviously that works not too good so far but we will be fine,” he said.

“The main thing for defending is tactical discipline. I don’t know everything about football but I could write a book in the next two hours about which space we have to defend, why, when and where you have to be.

“That’s no problem but you have to do it.”