Liverpool

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp backs Divock Origi to shine in Danny Ings absence

By Shane Callaghan, Reporter | 15 October 2015

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp plays down the season-ending injury to striker Danny Ings, insisting that Divock Origi can shine in his absence.

New Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has claimed that Divock Origi can supplement the loss of striker Danny Ings, who was ruled out for the season on Thursday.

The former Burnley marksman will miss the rest of the 2015-16 campaign with an anterior cruciate ligament injury to leave Klopp short on striking options, with Roberto Firmino and Christian Benteke also indisposed with hamstring and back injuries.

However, the German manager, whose first game in charge comes in Saturday's trip to Tottenham Hotspur, says that the 20-year-old, along with fit-again Daniel Sturridge, is all that he needs at the moment.

"We have Origi – do you know him?" he told reporters. "I learned first, you do not think about the players who are not available at this moment because there is no chance to get lucky if you do this all of the time.

"In the case of Benteke and Firmino, they are back on the pitch but not team training. I hope next week they will be in normal team training.

"Firmino could play in the striker position but we have to see if he should. In this moment - for the next game - we have Daniel for the position and we have Origi. Two strikers, I don't need more."

Klopp was linked with a move for Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski recently, with the duo previously working together successfully at Borussia Dortmund.