Jurgen Klopp says last night ‘really difficult’ for one Liverpool player

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Takumi Minamino made his Premier League debut for Liverpool against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has told the club’s official website that Takumi Minamino found it tough against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Minamino made his debut in the Premier League for Liverpool against Wolves away from home at the Molineux Stadium on Thursday evening.

The 25-year-old, who can operate as an attacking midfielder or as a winger, did not start the match, but he came on as a substitute for Sadio Mane in the 33rd minute.

Klopp has given his take on the performance of the Japan international, and he has admitted that the former RB Salzburg star did not find it easy against Wanderers, but he has still praised him for how he performed on his Premier League debut.

The Liverpool boss has also stated that Minamino suffered an injury after he came on as a substitute in the first half.

Klopp told Liverpool’s official website about Minamino: “Super. We had the situation that Sadio goes off, we played tonight slightly different to usually. We had to defend in a 4-4-2 then played offensive in our normal system.

“If now Div is coming on, who would deserve it, 100 per cent, because he is in incredible shape, it’s really very offensive very early in the game. Taki had now two or three weeks training with us, played different positions in training at least, played centrally in the FA Cup game, now played right and left wing.

“He can play that, we need him, but he is not a winger in this understanding, he’s a player for between the lines so Oxlade had then to be a bit higher so that we had still offers in behind, so we can still stretch the formation.

“So it was really difficult for Taki, he felt immediately the calf, at half-time he needed treatment – we hope it’s nothing and he could go through so it should be fine. That was for the first Premier League game exceptionally well and he is completely integrated in the team and that’s really good.”

Stats

Minamino, who joined Liverpool from Salzburg in he January transfer window, struggled with the pace of the game and did not have a Premier League debut to saviour.

According to WhoScored, the 25-year-old took one shot which was not on target, had a pass accuracy of 93.1%, took 41 touches, attempted two dribbles, made one tackle, and put in one cross.