Jürgen Klopp is “Completely Happy” With Out of Sync Danny Ings and Dominic Solanke

The Liverpool manager understands why his two squad forwards would struggle with their link-up play against Everton and supports their efforts for the team.

We wanted fireworks from Danny Ings. We wanted them both for ourselves and for the striker making his first start under Jürgen Klopp. Ings was tipped to be included in the starting eleven by his manager and Liverpool supporters the world over would have been hoping the player would get a goal against Everton. We wanted Danny Ings to take the match by the horns and ride it into Everton’s net over and over again.

But it wasn’t a sight we were destined to witness at Goodison Park. Ings was lively and useful but clearly needing game time in order to truly mount a goal-scoring revival worthy of fireworks.

Ings was pushed to the right of the attack, playing in place of Mohamed Salah. And instead of Roberto Firmino performing his magic in the center, Ings was working off of Dominic Solanke in the striker position. As a pair, they weren’t effective enough to score or cause too much trouble for Jordan Pickford but Klopp isn’t overly fussed. He knew Ings and Solanke would not completely be in sync and discussed the situation with players before the match.

“It’s easy to judge it,” said Klopp. “It was not Danny Ings’ best game.

“That was the most importantly physical, the highest level he could play for ages. And together with Dom, they didn’t play together often so it’s not that they know exactly ‘when I go left, you go right’ or whatever. That’s all difficult.

“We spoke of course about it but is it then settled? Of course not.

“I am completely happy. The job was to work hard and enjoy the game, really. And then get a result, and they were like this.”

Another like-new face on the pitch for Liverpool was that of Nathaniel Clyne. Clyne officially returned against Everton, playing his first match of the season after recovering from injury. The England full-back had a solid game.

“It’s good to have Nathaniel Clyne back,” Klopp said. “After nine months, playing that game just shows his natural quality in that position.

It was a tough match in wet conditions but Clyne came out of it unscathed and should be in contention for splitting minutes with Trent Alexander-Arnold until the end of the season.

Source: liverpooloffside.sbnation.com