Jurgen Klopp wanted Philippe Coutinho to stay but insists Virgil van Dijk's fitness is not a problem

The key points from Klopp:

• Liverpool would have kept Philippe Coutinho in an ideal world.
• Virgil van Dijk has made a good start to life at Anfield and has no issues with fitness.
• Adam Lallana should be ready to play against Southampton after suffering a slight fitness setback.
• Nathaniel Clyne is close to returning to training with the rest of the first-team squad.

That brings to an end Jurgen Klopp's lengthy, detailed press conference.

On Carragher's view of Van Dijk:

"I'm sure Jamie needs to lose a bit of weight but it's not the case for Virgil. He's a big, tall lad. We have the best nutritional department, it's not an issue, not at all.

On Van Dijk's exclusion from the line-up against Huddersfield:

"It was a physical thing. When Virgil came here he was not match-fit, he had along injury then played then injured again, then the transfer was an open case.

It has not been a consistent season, we had the opportunity [to rest him], Dejan was ill but returned and that's why he played and Virgil didn't.

"It would be better if he could play all the time but you cannot train in a Premier League match."

On Adam Lallana:

"Adam trains today, completely normal. In an ideal world, he shouldn't be involved against Tottenham, he was out for so long, had the longest pre-season of all, but it will not be long.

"If nobody gets injured, it's better that he can train for the next 10 days until the Southampton game, he should be ready then for sure."

On Clyne's fitness:

"I'm not 100% sure with Clyne, he's still not in team training. He's on a really good way, close to training, but it will take quite a while to be ready to play.

"I think we need to at least go one round further before he can be involved, there's no chance in the next round."

On team selection:

"I have no clue at the moment. What I want to see on the pitch, I know who it will be to start but we have to wait for the medical department. We have a few nice options, the last game was good, we will see. There's no reason to tell it to anyone now. You have to watch the game."

On whether Liverpool could replicate their performance against City on Sunday:

"Tottenham have a different style of play. I expect it to be honest, it's what we have to do, we have to put in our best performance, it's an interesting challenge again, I like games like this when you know what the opponent is doing but are doing it on such a high level, it's hard to stop.

Tottenham have to think a lot about our strengths and we have to think about theirs."

On the form of Sadio Mane:

I don;t think too much about it because if he's not at his best he's still a threat.

"He had the two biggest chances against Huddersfield but he didn't score, no problem. You need to carry on and keep going.

"I realise good moments of players but it's not that you can change it immediately, you have to build on good things and work on bad things. On an average day, he's still fantastic player."

On Van Dijk's start to life at Liverpool:

"Very happy, exactly how we thought, a few ups and downs. We will see Van Dijk at his best after the summer but we don't have time to wait until then. We have had a lot talks already, our defending is different to Southampton and Holland, it makes so much sense to get used to it.

"Everton was outstanding, City couldn't play, Swansea was good, West Brom was a bad game of the whole team and then we thought it made sense to rotate."

"At the moment it's completely normal. Lots to work on, but it's absolutely good."

On Henderson:

"I don't know really. I don't get why, or if, people are not happy with Jordan.

"He's a fantastic player and he didn't prove that at Huddersfield, it was clear before.

"It's good to have him back and hopefully he stays fit until the rest of the season, he's a fantastic player and lad."

On Tottenham:

"It's clear it's a very important game, its a six point game. The advantage you can have in these games is to play at home.

"I'm looking froward to it, i watched the game against United, they had a lucky start but were awake the whole game, sharp over 90 minutes and looked really good.

"They are in a good moment but we're not too bad either."

On top four chances and whether they have been enhanced after the transfer window:

"Neither, i would say, we did what we thought was right, not everything was in our hands. Would we have preferred to keep Coutinho? Yes, everyone knows that.

The senior players we loaned out made sense too, Daniel wanted to leave as well, and with Roberto, Dom and Ings plus Salah can play in his position. It made sense."

Klopp is in situ.

We're awaiting Klopp to grace us with his presence and get the presser underway...

Van Dijk, Lallana, transfers (or lack thereof) and Tottenham the burning topics for this fine Friday afternoon.

Where should Liverpool be hoping to finish this season? Club legend and youth coach Steven Gerrard thinks anything below fourth is unacceptable

"I think it [a top-four finish] the minimum acceptable in terms of what's been spent and the players he's got," Gerrard said on BT Sport, relayed by the Mirror.

"I think there would be big questions asked if they finished outside the top four.

"I think it's satisfactory, whether that's good enough, as a Liverpool ex-player and a fan, I think you're always searching for more. You want to do better and have longer runs in the cup competitions."

Liverpool supporters were disappointed to see the Reds decide against replacing Coutinho in the January transfer window, despite pocketing a considerable chunk of change from his sale.

The Brazilian could earn Liverpool up to £142m if certain clauses are met at the Camp Nou, but while the money recouped from his sale is burning a hole in Klopp's pocket, the former Dortmund boss believes the powers that be at Anfield did the right thing in keeping their powder dry.

"People obviously ask 'bring him in' because someone is injured and you need somebody else, but then the other one is coming again and you weaken both. It makes no sense," Klopp said, per the Telegraph.

"Yes, we could do something. But we need the right thing. The 100% right thing. For completely crazy money that really makes no sense. I'm not even sure that would work. And in the summer it looks different.

"That's how it is. To do something just to have any solution? That makes no real sense, to be honest. That's the situation."

Former Liverpool playmaker Xabi Alonso has offered his thoughts over the current Liverpool set-up.

The former Real Madrid and Bayern Munich star, who was part of Liverpool's 2005 Champions League-winning side, believes the Reds now resemble Klopp's team at Borussia Dortmund but has urged them to find some consistency in order to heighten their chances of silverware in the near future.

"They have built a style. The way they play is the Klopp way; it's very similar to his Dortmund side – very direct, great pace, very skilful players up front," he told the club's official website

"Everyone works as a team and you can see that they are very committed. They have embraced the ideas of the manager and that's the most important thing.

"They have to go little by little and not think too far ahead. Think about the next game, that's the best formula to progress and be successful, I think.

"They need to become consistent; not having fantastic performances and then missing other ones. They need to regain that regularity to be successful."

Liverpool midfielder Adam Lallana has endured an injury-ridden season so far. The former Southampton playmaker has started just two matches for the Reds this season, and he may well have to sit out of the clash against Tottenham after suffering a small muscle tear.

Klopp insists Liverpool are trying to take every precaution with the playmaker, but their efforts are not proving fruitful.

"We really tried to be sensible with it, to do the right thing. But it didn't work, twice. It's really not a big thing, three games is like not being injured," Klopp told the club's official website.

"He's maybe available for Tottenham, and if not then he'll have missed three games. That's really OK but of course it's not cool. The body needs to adapt again to the intensity."

A bit of admin from Liverpool here, though it may prove to be a source of encouragement for some Reds fanatics.

Van Dijk, Ings and Clyne have all been included in Liverpool's Champions League squad. The inclusion of Clyne is an intriguing one - will the right-back be fit in time for his side's first leg against Sevilla in a couple of weeks?

Liverpool bid farewell to Daniel Sturridge during the dying embers of the transfer window. The 28-year-old joined West Bromwich Albion on loan until the end of the season but the Reds decided not to replace him, choosing instead to put faith in Danny Ings.

Sturridge's exit along with the departure of Philippe Coutinho has raised some concerns among the Liverpool fanbase, and player-turned-pundit Gary Neville is struggling to see the reasoning behind not replacing two seasoned attackers.

"I'm looking at that list of ins and outs and it's gone under the radar," Neville said on Sky Sports' The Debate, relayed by The Mirror.

"And I look at Sturridge. People are saying 'Sturridge isn't playing anymore, it's not a big loss'. Firmino gets injured for two months. Liverpool are in the Champions League and are trying to get into the top four... Danny Ings and Solanke.

"Were they wise to let him go? It just seemed a crazy one for me for a massive risk."

What would Liverpool would give to have this man in their ranks once again.

Liverpool's new poster boy Virgil van Dijk was an unused substitute as the Reds secured a much-needed 3-0 win over Huddersfield Town earlier this week.

The Dutchman has been "struggling physically" since arriving on Merseyside, according to Klopp, who opted to use Dejan Lovren along with Joel Matip against David Wagner's side.

Will Van Dijk start against Tottenham? Klopp may shed some light on that soon.

Good afternoon and welcome to Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp's press conference ahead of his side's all-important clash with Tottenham Hotspur.

The German will no doubt be grilled on Liverpool's lack of transfer activity with regards to incomings, but the most pressing concern for him and everyone associated with the Merseysiders is the fitness of Virgil van Dijk, who could only make the substitutes' bench as his side got back to winning ways.

Klopp will also provide another update on the fitness of Adam Lallana, who has suffered another injury setback, provide a round-up of any other knocks and niggles and offer his thoughts on Tottenham, who delivered a wondrous performance against Manchester United in midweek.