![](\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/static-assets\/images\/newsletter\/football\/football-thumb\/football-thumb.png\")
<\/p>\nJurgen Klopp (left) will not be seeking cover for the injured Joel Matip <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is not planning to buy a centre-back to cover Joel Matip\u2019s expected absence for the rest of the season but admits the nature of the Premier League means all clubs are \u201conly two injuries away from a real problem\u201d.<\/p>\n
Matip\u2019s anterior cruciate ligament injury means Klopp now has five senior players unavailable \u2013 Diogo Jota, Andy Robertson, Thiago Alcantara and Stefan Bajcetic \u2013 with midfielder Alexis Mac Allister doubtful for the weekend trip to Crystal Palace after sustaining a problem in the midweek win over Sheffield United.<\/p>\n
In central defence he has Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate \u2013 who has had two spells on the sidelines already this season \u2013 Joe Gomez and 20-year-old Jarell Quansah and he believes that will be enough to sustain them providing there are no further setbacks.<\/p>\n
Klopp said rival clubs would not be leaving a top-class centre-back \u201cunder the Christmas tree for us\u201d so he would likely manage with what he has.<\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone talks about us needing another player but they all cost money and they must be the right player,\u201d said Klopp.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou tell me a club who wants to sell a top centre-half. Not a centre-half but a top centre-half.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor four or five days we\u2019ve known Joel will be out for a long time and that\u2019s really bad for us but we still have four centre-halves and that\u2019s absolutely alright.<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2023\/12\/08\/15\/newFile-1.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Joel Matip suffered a season-ending injury against Fulham <\/p>\n
\u201cIf we had a fifth centre-half in beforehand it is a completely different team dynamic: when one is not involved, we don\u2019t see steps with him, so it was like it was and it was perfect.<\/p>\n
\u201cIs it now perfect? I would say it is as long as we can go with those four, yes. If not then it would be a bit more tricky with the amount of games coming up.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut it was never wonderland where you bring in a world-class centre-half until the other one is fit again.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs long as other clubs don\u2019t put them under the Christmas tree for us and say \u2018Take it as long as you need it\u2019 I don\u2019t think so (it is likely to buy a player) to be honest.\u201d<\/p>\n
No timescale has been put on Matip\u2019s return but with his contract due to expire in the summer, Klopp expects the club to look after the 32-year-old and offer a new deal.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would say so but it\u2019s not my decision in the end,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am pretty sure the club will show their class and am pretty sure the club told Joel already that whatever happens as long as he is injured everything is fine.\u201d<\/p>\n
Goalkeeper Alisson Becker\u2019s return to training ahead of schedule after a hamstring injury \u2013 he was not expected back until the visit of Manchester United next weekend \u2013 gives him a chance of playing at Selhurst Park and would be timely for a defence now missing 50 percent of its first-choice players with Robertson\u2019s dislocated shoulder sidelining him since October.<\/p>\n
With the changes which have taken place in the backline, the return to form of captain Van Dijk is even more important.<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2023\/12\/06\/20\/SOCCER%20Sheff%20Utd%20%2020102540.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Virgil van Dijk has been back to his best and scored in Liverpool\u2019s win at Sheffield United <\/p>\n
\u201cIt always was and always will be. Virg is the best defender in the world. Did he have lesser good spells? Yes. If you showed me one who never had I\u2019d be really happy to meet him,\u201d said Klopp.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we look in the back in the past (we think) Rio Ferdinand, Jaap Stam, Sami Hyypia were good all the time and always perfect. No-one was and no-one will be. Virg in this shape is super-important.\u201d<\/p>\n