Matip ready to repay Klopp’s faith on Saturday

Joel Matip believes Liverpool have improved as a defensive unit this season, according to Sky Sports.

The 26-year-old has become the first-choice partner for Virgil van Dijk at centre-back after injuries to Joe Gomez and Dejan Lovren saw him move to the head of the queue, where his fine performances cemented him.

And with a huge clash against Tottenham approaching this weekend, the Cameroon international is ready to repay his manager’s faith.

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“I think, for sure, Virgil van Dijk made a big impact, with the ball he is so calm and he wins his challenges in the air and on the ground,” said Matip. “He gives the whole team much more stability and he did it very well, but as a whole squad we improve a lot.

“It starts in the beginning – Roberto Firmino, for example, is like the first defender. Alisson Becker in the back, he is great against the ball and with the ball he does some amazing things.”

On Klopp’s faith in him, he added: “I think it’s not too bad for the self-confidence, but I always believed in myself.

“Now I have the opportunity to play and I just try to use it. But we have a lot of quality in the team. It doesn’t matter who is coming in from the bench, they always want to show – and they showed. It’s just a good team and it’s really nice to be part of this.

“I feel fine. It’s hard to compare to other parts of my career, but I really enjoy the time now.”

Looking ahead to the Champions League final on Saturday, he continued: “It’s a moment. I’m quite fine. Of course I know it’s one of the biggest games, but at the moment I’m fine.

“I just want to enjoy that I have the opportunity. It’s the kind of game you want to play as a kid and now you are there, it would be stupid to make more pressure than it is, even one week before.

“It doesn’t help. In the game, the tension has to be there. But one week before, doing the training session OK, but not during all the day.”

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Source: anfieldhq.com