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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp believes his \u201csmart\u201d players understand and embrace the increased competition for places up front.<\/p>\n
The five forwards he has at his disposal have contributed 30 goals so far this season but only Mohamed Salah, who has 10, is a guaranteed starter every week.<\/p>\n
Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota, Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz -unavailable for the last two matches due to his father\u2019s kidnapping in Colombia \u2013 have all made an impact when they have been selected and despite Klopp\u2019s rotation they all appear to gel well together.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe boys are all smart. The good thing is we have really only smart players, that means they understand they cannot play all the games,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not, \u2018I want to play Sunday, Wednesday, Saturday, Tuesday, Thursday.\u2019 That\u2019s just not possible but everybody sees (it that way) as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s how a smart footballer should think and our boys do that: \u2018If I can\u2019t play then it\u2019s better we have another really good player who can play the position\u2019. That\u2019s exactly how I see it.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s only four (because of Diaz\u2019s absence) all of a sudden but there are a lot of games still coming if you see the schedule \u2013 after the international break it turns completely crazy \u2013 so in that time we have to be ready.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you want to play a successful season and not only have successful spells, you need the boys through all these different phases.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have to get through this and with not a lot of injuries (and then) we have really the joys but if not the boys have just to fight through it.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor the moment it\u2019s OK, but we need it like this for pretty much the rest of the season, to be honest.\u201d<\/p>\n
Of all their front five Cody Gakpo is probably the unsung hero.<\/p>\n
The Netherlands international has scored on his last four starts, netting the first goal in three of those, but has been the player sacrificed the most to accommodate holes in the squad as he started the campaign in midfield.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we have everybody available it was never the plan to put Cody there but it was for him something new after (playing) the false nine last year,\u201d added Klopp.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut he\u2019s a super-smart player so he can adapt to that and we want him to adapt.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s just a versatile striker, he can play everywhere up front there. For us it\u2019s super-important. He arrives in the box, he is a good shooter, he has a good nose for the situation.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow I said, the boys up front all like each other, there\u2019s not this battle of \u2018Will I start?\u2019 They know they can all play together.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s not about celebrating the moment and being relieved that we kind of can play football again. No, it\u2019s really about digging into the season<\/p>\n
Liverpool head to Luton on Sunday looking for their first clean sheet away from Anfield in any competition this season but are on six-match unbeaten run, winning the last four.<\/p>\n
As it stands they are in a four-way race for the title but Klopp is keen not to get too excited about how well they have started.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s so early. I\u2019m so happy that we have a really good team together but look at the other teams, they are really good as well,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of really good teams are out there and it\u2019s the Premier League so it\u2019s not about celebrating the moment and being relieved that we kind of can play football again.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, it\u2019s really about digging into the season, use the full potential of this group, get everything out of it and then let\u2019s see.\u201d<\/p>\n