Jürgen Klopp: “If They Deserve a Medal, They Will Get a Medal”

When the Premier League winners’ medals are eventually passed out to the Liverpool squad, Jürgen Klopp intends that every player on his team gets something shiny.

According to Big Rules, a player must play in five matches over the season to be eligible to receive a medal, but a few of the manager’s youngsters currently fall short of that target.

Harvey Elliott, Curtis Jones, and Neco Williams would each have to pick up three appearances over the remaining six games to qualify for an official award.

Klopp insisted on Friday that the boys wouldn’t be shoehorned into action just to make up the numbers. He said Premier League matches wouldn’t be “handed out like sweets.”

But the manager also sounds determined to honor his entire squad regardless of the five match rule. Honestly, I think Klopp might have his own trophy guy.

“People don’t understand how important a squad is to win a championship. If you play no game you should get a medal.

“If you are a goalkeeper and you don’t play, you should get a medal because you train five million times for a year and if you don’t train at the highest level you have no chance to win a championship.

“So someone decides they need five games to win a medal? These boys will get a medal 100 per cent if I have to produce it by myself.

“They can have my medal but it is not really the right rule. What is that?

“We have to win football games and it is not about that. We cannot just give the appearances away here and there.

“But if they deserve a medal they will get a medal, if not from the Premier League then from me.”