Jurgen Klopp plays down Liverpool's problems after frustrating week

Having been held to a 1-1 draw by Burnley last week, the Reds boss saw a much-changed side crash out of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday against Leicester - whom they face again in the Premier League this weekend.

Liverpool have conceded the first goal in their last four matches, resulting in two draws and two defeats, and that has been compounded by an inability to convert a significant number of chances in all those games.

Defensive concerns have increased with Dejan Lovren unable to train this week due to a bad back and fellow central defender Joel Matip struggling with a knock from the weekend, highlighting how the failure to strengthen the centre of defence after their failed pursuit of Southampton's Virgil van Dijk could come back to haunt Liverpool.

But Klopp believes the situation is not as bad as is being portrayed.

"It sounds like we have no points and are completely the worst team in the league," he said.

"I understand 100 per cent (why) we sit here and talk about the things that have happened.

"I know already about all these problems - or 'not problems' - and I've made my decision already how to work with it but if I talk a lot about it I only create headlines 'Klopp says this. Klopp says that' and it doesn't help us.

"We have work to do but that would be the same if we had 15 points, only it would feel different but it would be the same.

"We conceded first goal against Seville and responded really well, we conceded the first goal against Burnley and responded really well.

"I would prefer not to concede the first goal to be honest. This is the long part of a three-game week from Tuesday to Saturday so we have one more session. We can use it but we have to prove it on Saturday."