Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has insisted that he cannot think about the League Cup final against Manchester City yet, with the second leg of their Europa League round of 32 clash against Augsburg due tonight.
The Reds host Augsburg for the second leg of their Europa League clash at Anfield later tonight, after the first leg resulted in a drab goalless draw.
Winning the Europa League currently stands as the most viable option available for Liverpool to qualify for next season’s Champions League, as the Reds currently find themselves in eighth position in the league table, nine points adrift of the top four.
Klopp’s side also take on Manchester City in the final of the League Cup on Sunday at Wembley, but the German manager insists that his team selection for tonight will not be influenced by Sunday’s clash.
The 48-year-old believes that if a person thinks about the second step, before taking the first one, then he will always fall down, and insists that his side will remain full focused on tonight’s encounter.
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Klopp reiterated that the only factor that will influence his team selection for tonight will be the availability of players.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Klopp said: “It’s pretty easy because life makes the rules.
“If you think about the second step before you make the first step, you will always fall down. So there’s no other chance.
“We have to be fully concentrated and give everything for this game. If we think, for example, to leave this player out then for sure he will be injured in a training session. So it’s not allowed.
“We have to be fully concentrated on this game and then go to the next one. That’s how we select the team. The only other thing we have to think about is who is available?”
The Reds have been on a poor run of form lately, winning only one of their last six fixtures in all competitions, and will be hoping to secure a win tonight.
