Jurgen Klopp has downplayed any concerns that there is any friction between himself and Xherdan Shaqiri and believes that the Swiss star will play a valuable part in the weeks ahead.
The 27 year-old has been on the fringes of the squad in the early part of this campaign.
The attacking midfielder has not played a minute in the opening three league games, with his only action coming in the Community Shield against Man City where he came on as a late substitute.
It comes on the back of Shaqiri playing minimal minutes in the tail end of last season despite having a great stretch of form around the festive period.
The lack of minutes for Shaqiri led to the presumption that the popular figure was on the outer, however Jurgen Klopp says that is not the case.
The Liverpool Echo reported Klopp as saying
Shaq is training well.
“That's the first four weeks of the season, that's the situation, that's how it is.
“That's probably the hardest period for players who are not yet (playing). (There was) an injury for Shaq as well (in the summer).
“In training, Shaq doesn't have to improve in any way if he can keep the level he is doing at the moment. It's not about that.
“Of course he can improve, everybody can improve, but he doesn't have to show anything special.
“And we will need him. He knows that 100%.
Klopp admitted that Shaqiri was likely to be frustrated at this present time, but that is only normal in terms of a player that wants to play as much as he can.
“Is he the happiest player in the squad at the moment? I don't think so.
“Can I see that on the training pitch? No.
“He is in a good mood and training hard, doing what he has to do and is ready for the moment when he has to help the team on the pitch.”
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