Jurgen Klopp explains why Stefan Bajcetic did not start for Liverpool as new injury emerges

Jurgen Klopp insisted that Curtis Jones has always been a ‘potential solution’ to feature at right-back for Liverpool.

The academy product was deployed as a makeshift defender in the Reds’ 3-1 victory over Leicester City in the Carabao Cup third round last night. Klopp was left short of options with Trent Alexander-Arnold still recovering from a hamstring injury, while Joe Gomez was also unavailable.

Stefan Bajcetic has feature in the position during last week’s triumph against LASK in the Europa League but his minutes continue to be managed after recently recovering from a long-term adductor problem. Klopp, therefore, turned to Jones - who was the only player to remain in the starting line-up from the 3-1 win against West Ham in the Premier League. Not only that but he was handed the captain’s armband in the absence of Virgil van Dijk, which Klopp revealed is how he ‘sold’ the idea to Jones about playing on the right-hand side of the rearguard.

Klopp told reporters: “Yesterday, when I told him he would be playing right-back, the same moment. I sold the right-back idea with the captaincy, let me say it like that. But he was already completely excited when I told him that he will play right-back. The way he executed it was super-special, I have to say. Wow. Super-smart. We thought about him.

“We couldn't play Stefan long, we have to be careful with him. Joey will be OK for the weekend but was not OK for today. For Trent it is too early. So I needed to find solutions and Curtis was always in my mind as a potential solution there. He is really football smart, he enjoys being on the ball and the deeper you are the more often you can get the ball. It was a top performance, I have to say, for the first time in – for him – a strange position. He did really well and I liked that a lot. He is in a good moment, so he could probably play each position in the moment. But we will try to use him as often as possible in his natural position.”