Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has raved about Joel Matip on the club’s official website.
Klopp is delighted to have the 29-year-old central defender back from injury and available for the match against Leicester City today.
The Reds will take on the Foxes at Anfield in the Premier League this evening.
Klopp told Liverpool’s official website about Matip: “The best football age! Joel, since he was with us, he is incredible. He was incredible before, that’s why we signed him. He is an incredible football player, it’s unbelievable how good he is. Yes, he was unlucky with injuries. Before he arrived here he had no injuries, played for Schalke pretty much through four, five or six years.
“Here, when it starts with one and you have to be lucky from a specific moment, but they were all different. The last injury he had, someone cut his tendon on the toe by swishing, it was in the Everton game last season. Then you are out and it looks like you are vulnerable or whatever, but it’s just something everybody would have had if you are in the situation.
“Now he’s back and hopefully for a long time. If he is in the best moment of his career, I don’t know, but I was really happy with the moment of his career he was in for the last four years. Super player.”
Important player for Liverpool
Much has been made about Virgil van Dijk in recent seasons following his move from Southampton, but Matip’s importance in the current Liverpool team cannot be undermined.
True, the Cameroonian international defender is not as great as Van Dijk, but he is a very good defender who has a lot of experience and has done well for the Reds.
Injuries have affected Matip during his time at Liverpool so far, but when he has been in form, he has been solid.
With Van Dijk and Joe Gomez set for an extended spell on the sidelines due to injuries, Matip will now become a key figure at the back for Klopp’s team.
Liverpool are doing well in the Premier League at the moment and will be confident of winning the title for the second season in a row.
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