Jurgen Klopp backs 'unlucky' Takumi Minamino to shine for Liverpool

Jurgen Klopp has backed Takumi Minamino to overcome an ‘unlucky’ start to his Liverpool career and start showing his best form in a red shirt.

The Japanese’s January arrival was greeted with delight by Reds supporters, who had been wowed by his talents across two Champions League meetings with RB Salzburg earlier in the season.

However, he has since been mostly limited to starts in the domestic cup competition, with his one involvement in a Premier League starting XI ending in a half-time withdrawal.

Still, Klopp is convinced that his latest acquisition will come good at Anfield, and believes he has seen evidence of that fact during recent cameos in which Minamino was unfortunate not to get on the scoresheet.

The manager said: “With the goalscoring, he was really unlucky. He could have scored 2-3 times already.

“It’s all good. Things just need time. We have a really strong football team, and it is not easy to come in.

“The only thing you can do is train really well on a high level, and that’s what Taki is doing.

“We are completely happy, all good. He just has to carry on, and he will do. We are fine.”

If Minamino needs inspiration in his bid to break into the first team at Anfield, he should look no further than Naby Keita.

Having been plagued by injuries since arriving two seasons ago, Guinean is finally beginning to show the form that prompted Liverpool to pay £52m for his services.

On the midfielder, Klopp said: “Of course injuries never help, and for sure they cost him rhythm. But people forget he started exceptionally well.

“Now he’s completely settled in the squad, knows all the people around and that makes a big difference.

“In the last two years we didn’t lose a lot of games, and as long as players are fit it is difficult to come in. Now it’s all different, he is in a really good moment, fit as well and completely settled.

“So, very good football is possible when you have the skills of Naby Keita! High press, counter press, he was used to all these things from Leipzig. It’s not that we have to adjust him.

“If you are not on your highest level, it’s a constant inner fight with yourself. Because of injuries, he didn’t have rhythm.

“Now, he has rhythm, and now we have to make sure he can keep that at least until the end of the season. Then we have another little break, then we carry on.”

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