Leicester are nearly perfect, says Klopp

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp says shock Premier League leaders Leicester City are an almost perfect counter-attacking side ahead of their meeting on Saturday.

The Reds are down in ninth and have won only three of nine league games since the former Borussia Dortmund boss took charge after a poor performance in their 3-0 defeat to Watford last time out.

Things do not get much easier for Liverpool when they host Leicester and Klopp was full of praise for his opponents.

“They play nearly perfect counter-attacking football – very quick,” he said.

“Leicester don’t need many chances to score. They have had no injuries, they get a whole week to train – I am not surprised [by their results]. They have quality.

“I have big respect for Claudio and the whole squad of Leicester. Ranieri is one of the most experienced coaches in the world and there is big respect on both sides.”

Liverpool were a goal down within two minutes at Watford and Klopp urged his players to start matches better, particularly when facing a Leicester side playing with such confidence.

He continued: “We had some very good training this week – it was very focused. It was a big knock we got in Watford. 

“We had a moment after the game to speak about Watford. Then you must use the information to look forward to the next game.

“You can lose football games but you have to take the right information from it. We must start better, be aware of counter-attacks.

“We have to avoid starts in games like we have done too often this season. I want to defend a 1-0, not strike back after 0-1.

“We make difficulties for ourselves and need to concentrate more from the first second onwards.”

Klopp was coy on plans for the January transfer window and would not discuss Marko Grujic after Red Star Belgrade said they had accepted a €7million offer from Liverpool for the player.

He said: “There is nothing to tell [about Grujic]. We try to be prepared all the time but the window in January is not the easiest one. Prices are very high. I am not the biggest friend of the January window.

“If we have to react, I will react – maybe if a player leaves us, I don’t know. It is not a situation I want, though.”

“We have a lot of games during the transfer window. We are not planning on getting more players and more players and more players. But if we have to react we will.”