Jurgen Klopp confirmed Liverpool are still working to make a signing in the transfer window ahead of Thursday's deadline, even if he will be relieved when it is all over.
Reds manager Klopp revealed last week he had changed his opinion on the need for a new midfielder at Anfield, having previously insisted his squad was strong enough.
When the Liverpool boss made those comments, ahead of facing Bournemouth at home, they were still winless.
Bournemouth were subsequently swatted aside 9-0, but Klopp is pressing ahead with the new plan to make a signing, although "the really important stuff" will follow after the window closes.
Asked if Liverpool were still active, Klopp replied: "'Ish'. Somehow, yeah, but the closer we get to the last minute, the more unlikely it gets. That's how it is. What can I say? We are not out.
"It's difficult, it's really difficult, because for sure there are a few players out there who would be the right ones, but they have different issues.
"Some of them are contracted to clubs who don't want to sell, all these kinds of things. We cannot force them.
"When it's over and we've signed or not signed [someone], then I'm really happy about that, because we've stopped thinking about it in that moment; we can just focus on the squad we have, the team we have, be ready to face all the problems we'll have in the season.
"Our supporters who are pretty active on social media every day can just stop doing that, because we have a good football team. We have injuries, but they'll come back.
"If somebody expects us to always do what others are doing or what some people want to do, that's not possible. It's never happened before, it will not happen in the future.
"This club arrived here in this situation with the way we deal with situations. I don't make the decisions about how much we spend, that's the truth, but I never did, and we're still here and we've won a couple of things.
"From that moment [when the window closes], we can focus on the really important stuff. Yes, bringing in the right players is important, but if we can't do that now, then we can't do it."
Next opponents Newcastle United could be counted among those clubs who have approached the market differently to Liverpool, spending more than £200million in this calendar year following a lucrative takeover last October.
And Klopp has no doubt Eddie Howe's side will soon be challenging the elite in the Premier League.
"They will be," he said. "If Eddie gets time and stuff like this... I'm not sure they need another transfer window, but if he gets time, they will definitely be.
"That's the football world we live in; it's completely fine.
"Newcastle is a great club and has a lot of success in the past and now for a few years not that much anymore. They have now everything you need to be 'top six' or whatever that means."
Liverpool have had Joel Matip and Curtis Jones back in training ahead of Wednesday's game, while Diogo Jota will join the group later in the week, with Thiago Alcantara set to follow "slightly later".
Manchester United’s Anthony Martial ruled out of FA Cup final through injury
Manchester United forward Anthony Martial has been ruled out of Saturday’s FA Cup final against Manchester City due to a hamstring injury.
Martial picked up the problem in United’s final Premier League game of the season after stepping off the bench on Sunday against Fulham and scans have revealed the full extent of the damage.
United said in a statement: “Anthony Martial is out of Saturday’s Emirates FA Cup final against Manchester City due to injury.
“The France international strained his hamstring towards the end of Sunday’s 2-1 win against Fulham at Old Trafford.
“Assessments have since revealed a muscle tear that rules the 27-year-old out of the Wembley showdown.”
Martial missed United’s first two Premier League games this season due to a hamstring problem, while other small injuries since have restricted him to 29 appearances in all competitions in which he has scored nine goals.
Only 11 of his 21 league appearances this season have been in the starting line-up, but he had been hoping to be in contention to start at Wembley against City, who are looking to complete a domestic treble.
The former Lyon winger, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Sevilla, joined United from Monaco for £36million in 2015 and has made almost 200 league appearances for the club in total.
Ange Postecoglou: Celtic have to be at their ‘absolute best’ against Inverness
Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou has stressed they have to be at their “absolute best” against Inverness in Saturday’s Scottish Cup final after hearing about the history between the clubs in the competition.
Caley Thistle have knocked Celtic out of the Scottish Cup three times in seven meetings this century and the Hoops needed to come from behind in two of their triumphs.
Inverness beat Celtic 3-1 at Parkhead as a First Division club in the first encounter between the teams in February 2000 in a result that cost John Barnes his job as manager.
They also beat Martin O’Neill’s side in 2003 four days after the Hoops had won at Anfield on their way to the UEFA Cup final.
Ronny Deila also fell foul of Caley Thistle in the 2015 semi-finals in a result that cost Celtic the chance of a treble.
When told some people were predicting a walkover when the Scottish champions face a side who finished fifth in the cinch Championship, Postecoglou told Celtic TV: “The people at this club don’t tell me about that, they tell me about the past results against them, which makes you realise that if you are not on it on the day you can be beaten and there’s consequences to that.
“I can assure you that no-one in the building here is going into it with anything other than the approach that we have to be at our absolute best on the day.”
Caley Thistle have only played once since their semi-final win over Falkirk, losing to Ayr on May 5 in a late defeat which cost them a place in the Premiership play-offs.
“It’s a bit of a weird one for them, they won’t have had a game for close to a month by the time the cup final comes around,” Postecoglou said. “I’m sure they have been working away and had bounce games when they can.
“It’s a different opponent for us but, irrespective, it’s a cup final. Who the opponent is becomes secondary to the fact that you know you need to perform on the day and if you do there is a massive reward at the end of it.”
Coventry have condemned online racist abuse towards Fankaty Dabo after his decisive penalty miss in the Sky Bet Championship play-off finals against Luton.
The club announced they will work with the PFA, EFL and the police to seek, ban and prosecute any person found to have sent racist messages.
Owner and executive chairman Doug King said: “The messages sent to Fankaty were disgusting and there is no place for any person who sent such vile abuse at any of our games, and social media is not a hiding place to make these comments.
“The club and our partners will support Fankaty, and we will not hesitate in taking action against those people found to have done this.”
Coventry also confirmed the defender will leave the club following the conclusion of his contract alongside Julien Dacosta, Todd Kane, Sean Maguire, Michael Rose, Martyn Waghorn and Tyler Walker.
Loan players Jonathan Panzo, Callum Doyle, Brooke Norton-Cuffy, Josh Wilson-Esbrand and Luke McNally will return to their parent clubs.
Manager Mark Robins thanked those leaving and paid tribute to Dabo and Rose for playing key roles in Coventry’s League One success in 2019-20.
He told the club website: “I would like to thank those who are leaving for their time with us, the contributions that they have made to Coventry City, and wish them all of the best for their future careers.
“In particular, Fankaty Dabo and Michael Rose were huge parts of the side that won the League One title and then established us in the Championship.
“They will both be fondly remembered for many years to come by all Sky Blues fans, and the outpouring of support for Fanky (Dabo) from our supporters following Saturday goes to show the esteem he is held in.”
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