Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp insists that the defensive duo of Joel Matip and Dejan Lovren have reacted well to being out of the team and believes they know they will be back in eventually.
Joe Gomez and Virgil van Dijk have shared the defensive responsibilities between themselves for most of the matches, showing great form, and thus forcing the German manager to stick with them.
Appearances for Lovren and Matip have therefore been limited to four and six respectively, though the duo are in the Reds' 21-man travelling squad for the trip to Red Star Belgrade.
And ahead of the trip to Serbia, their manager took time to promise them opportunities for the attitude they have shown in training.
“It’s all good”, Klopp told his club's official website.
“Dejan had a very intense year – then he had the World Cup after a very good season for us.
“After the World Cup he came back injured and had no pre-season. He needed to train.
"Since then he is stepping in. He is doing really well. Dejan had games and will have games.
“The harder thing is Joel. He is in a very good shape.
"He had a difficult last year as well. He came back and could do most of the pre-season.
“That’s how the situation is: it’s not forever, it’s always in the moment.
"You have to use moments and stuff like that. The boys have reacted pretty well so far but I didn’t expect anything different.”
It remains to be seen if Klopp names either or both of Matip and Lovren in the team to play Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League.
