Liverpool vs Hull City - Jurgen Klopp: We've achieved nothing yet

Posted Friday, September 23, 2016 by PA

Liverpool midfielders Adam Lallana and Gini Wijnaldum are set to return for the visit of Hull.

The pair were rested for the midweek EFL Cup win over Derby, with striker Daniel Sturridge also sitting that out after missing training with a niggle which could put his place against the Tigers in doubt.

Goalkeeper Simon Mignolet is expected to return, despite summer signing Loris Karius making his competitive debut and keeping a clean sheet against the Rams.

Liverpool's season is on an upward curve after a goal-laden start but manager Jurgen Klopp knows it is still far too early to make judgements.

Ten points from their opening five Premier League matches has them handily placed in sixth after a difficult start saw them go to Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham.

Goals - 19 in seven games in all competitions - have been flying in with 10 different scorers already but Klopp has cautioned about getting carried away.

"Nothing has happened until now. We've only played five league games plus two cup games," said the German.

"We need to find stability and create solutions for each situation. We are still working on that.

"We need to be ready for each game. There's no time to look for excuses. We want to perform. We have the biggest expectation from ourselves.

"We don't think: 'Ah, we've got it'. Football is quite a simple game but it's difficult to win."

Hull midfielder Jake Livermore returns to contention for the Premier League game at Liverpool following suspension.

Livermore, a makeshift centre-half in the Tigers' first five league games, missed the midweek EFL Cup win at Stoke due to a one-game ban and caretaker boss Mike Phelan must decide whether to recall him or retain Harry Maguire alongside skipper Curtis Davies.

New signings Ryan Mason, Markus Henriksen, David Marshall, Will Keane, James Weir and Dieumerci Mbokani all started on Wednesday night and will be hoping to make their first league starts.

Phelan has plenty to ponder before the trip to Anfield after all six of his recent signings made their full debuts in the midweek EFL Cup win at Stoke.

Two of them, record signing Mason and fellow midfielder Henriksen, marked their first appearances with eye-catching goals, while goalkeeper Marshall also staked his claim for a league debut.

"It was a great opportunity to give debuts to all those players, to see what they had and can bring to this team," Phelan said.

"They've done a good job. It's a settling in period still for them. There are big games ahead, the squad will be used, it's just a case now of finding the right balance and getting the players in who can perform for this football club."