Klopp: Benteke could face Chelsea

Jurgen Klopp suggested Christian Benteke could feature in the weekend’s big Premier League fixture as Liverpool face off against Chelsea on Saturday.

The striker wasn’t involved in Wednesday night’s Capital One Cup victory over Bournemouth - the new manager’s first win in charge - due to feeling discomfort in his knee.

Benteke picked up the complaint in the closing minutes of the stalemate with Southampton on Sunday, after the Belgian’s monstrous header put Liverpool in front against Ronald Koeman’s men, and Klopp will be hoping he can count on the forward to fire at Stamford Bridge.

"Christian? I think he will be fit on Saturday," the Reds boss said. "He had little problems and with our ‘striker situation’ [Danny Ings and Daniel Sturridge also sidelined] we can’t take a risk. But I think Christian will be back.”

Klopp also provided an update on Kolo Toure, who had to be subbed off in the first-half against Bournemouth through injury, as well as Sturridge.

"Kolo, I think it was a hamstring, but I am not sure because I only saw him sitting and so we have to wait for the diagnosis,” he said. “With Daniel, we have to talk about him when he can train and then he will need, I don’t know, two, three, four, five, six or seven days' training. That is normal.

"Each footballer needs it and it’s not important how good you are unless you have enough strength to play in this really intensive league. There is no pressure from me – I can’t put pressure on him or the doctor or the physiotherapist, I have to wait. And when he is back, he has to train.”

Away from his injury headache, Klopp revelled in his first victory with the club.

"I feel much better than after a draw,” he said. “But I don’t think the other games were so much worse than today – of course, the result is the biggest difference and we did well tonight.

"We didn’t have too much time again between the games, not too much time for training, only one hour training with this new team and new system.

"I saw minute by minute we were better in the game, we closed the spaces better and the whole 90 minutes we played football and created our chances. We didn’t have any real experience together, so I’m really satisfied – the boys did really well.

"We made a fantastic goal; [Joao] Teixeira in the box and [Nathaniel] Clyne with him close enough, two boys from the left wing in the box because we had the space for it. That’s really good, that’s what we want. It’s the next step.

"I saw in the eyes of all the players that they wanted to win tonight. That’s very important.”