Klopp focuses on relentless schedule despite pride in record-breaking side

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Updated

RESENDING SCRIPT WITH CHANGE TO SOURCE OF MOHAMED SALAH FILE TO UEFA AND ADDING RESTRICTIONS

EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: EDIT CONTAINS PROFANE LANGUAGE IN THE FIRST SOUNDBITE

VIDEO SHOWS: NEWS CONFERENCE WITH JUERGEN KLOPP / STILL PHOTOGRAPHS OF LIVERPOOL'S 3-0 WIN OVER LEICESTER CITY / FILE FOOTAGE OF MOHAMED SALAH TRAINING

SHOWS:

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (NOVEMBER 22, 2020) (REUTERS PICTURES - ACCESS ALL) (MUTE)

1. STILL PHOTOGRAPH OF DIOGO JOTA CELEBRATING AFTER SCORING LIVERPOOL'S SECOND GOAL

2. STILL PHOTOGRAPH OF JUERGEN KLOPP

3. STILL PHOTOGRAPH OF ROBERTO FIRMINO CELEBRATING SCORING LIVERPOOL'S THIRD GOAL

4. STILL PHOTOGRAPH OF NABY KEITA

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (NOVEMBER 22, 2020) (LIVERPOOL FC HANDOUT - ACCESS ALL)

5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LIVERPOOL MANAGER, JUERGEN KLOPP, TALKING ABOUT TEAM EXTENDING UNDEFEATED HOME STREAK TO 64 MATCHES, SAYING:

"Look my problem is in a moment... I have spoken so much about football and so much to think about how we play the next game, and things like this it doesn't feel... maybe it is not right. There will be a moment in the future when I think back and hopefully it will be a different number then not only 64. It is absolutely incredible but it is all about the boys. It is... I think it is really difficult to achieve something like this, but when you think about how tight all the decisions in a lot of games were then it doesn't happen just like this. So, you really have to dig in for that and the boys did that. And I told you a few times before we really enjoy playing here. It is our ground, our home, everything feels home, even when the people are not here, which is absolutely bullocks, bullshit, whatever, it just doesn't feel right. But we have to do it and we are happy that we can play. And so, what the boys put out there on the pitch performance wise is absolutely incredible. And it is the only reason for the number and obviously it is pretty tricky and difficult to set records for this incredible club because our fathers or grandfathers were obviously pretty good, so having this record now I am happy for the players but it doesn't feel like this in the moment, like a big moment if we are honest because we play on Wednesday and that is actually really my only concern at the moment."

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (NOVEMBER 2, 2020) (UEFA - NO RESALES. NO COMMERCIAL USE. MUST ON-SCREEN COURTESY "©UEFA 2020" )

6. VARIOUS OF LIVERPOOL STRIKER MOHAMED SALAH AT TRAINING

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (NOVEMBER 22, 2020) (LIVERPOOL FC HANDOUT - ACCESS ALL)

7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LIVERPOOL MANAGER, JUERGEN KLOPP, TALKING ABOUT MOHAMED SALAH, SAYING:

"Yeah I think he is now pretty normal in all the testings. We have tomorrow the UEFA testing for the Champions League. I am pretty sure he will be in that. He has now... he can train with us tomorrow and that is it. I don't know about a second test a day after... it could be the Premier League test already again. So, he has two tests in the next two days, so yes he will be tested like all of us."

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - OCTOBER 26, 2020) (UEFA - NO RESALES. NO COMMERCIAL USE. MUST ON-SCREEN COURTESY "©UEFA 2020" )

8. VARIOUS OF SALAH TRAINING

STORY: Liverpool boss Juergen Klopp said on Sunday (November 22) he was more concerned with a mounting fixture list than celebrating his Liverpool side setting a new undefeated home record for the club.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused the previous season to finish late and the current campaign to be condensed into a shorter period, and with Liverpool also playing in the Champions League, games are coming thick and fast.

Already missing a slew of players to injury, including influential centre backs Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez and midfielders Jordan Henderson and Thiago Alcantara, Klopp suffered another blow when Naby Keita had to be replaced in the 53rd minute against Leicester.

Speaking at a news conference after his team beat Leicester 3-0, Klopp said while going 64 games unbeaten at home was an impressive achievement, getting a strong XI on to the pitch for the next game was the only thing on his mind.

Keita's absence means he will have to juggle his squad again ahead of this week's Champions League fixture against Atalanta.

One piece of good news is that Klopp will be able to welcome back Mohamed Salah, who has tested negative for COVID-19 and will be able to fly back from Egypt to rejoin his team mates.

(Production: Iain Axon)