Jurgen Klopp has denied suggestions that Liverpool rushed Trent Alexander-Arnold back into the side after the defender’s injury setback.
Alexander-Arnold is facing a spell on the sidelines and will miss Liverpool’s EFL Cup final against Chelsea later this month, after aggravating a knee problem in the 3-1 win over Burnley last weekend.
The 25-year-old was withdrawn at half-time, in a setback for the England international who was making only his second start since sustaining a knee injury at Arsenal in early January.
Liverpool have been accused of rushing the right-back into the team, though Klopp has dismissed that notion and has called Alexander-Arnold’s latest problem ‘very unlucky’.
“A thing we have to clarify a bit. I was not really aware of it, but I got the news that there was a discussion we might have ‘forced’ Trent back because of two setbacks. Nobody wants that and nobody is doing that,” Klopp said at his pre-match press conference ahead of facing Brentford.
“Different cases, different scenarios and as long as I am here we will not force anybody back and never do.
“But we work in a high-performance area. We always try to catch the earliest moment. Unfortunately when we catch that early moment nobody speaks about that. The last decision is always with the player, but if you always listen to the player they would play after two weeks and it’s a real problem.
“The boys were in the moment when they played. They were fit. But the situation told us differently because it happened again. Very unlucky and unfortunate, but it can happen. We have to bring the boys back as soon possible but never before they are ready.”
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