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Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has warned his players they have five weeks to secure their Anfield futures.

Klopp revealed he will make changes when the January transfer window opens.

Although the German insists he is keeping a completely open mind about those changes, he claimed the players themselves are aware that some hard decisions will have to be made.

Klopp has been given licence to reshape the team in his image. He is noted for his high-tempo, high-energy philosophy and will want to bring in signings who can play to that style.

(Image: Getty)

Klopp said: “We will have the possibility to change some things in January and in the summer but at this moment we have made no decisions because we don’t have to make them yet.

“The players know this. It is always the same that at one point in the season you have to make a decision about them.

“We are at a time when they can collect positive arguments and say: ‘okay, we want to work together’.

“I don’t need to say this to them, they know it. In this moment we have made no decisions so I have time to judge.

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“To make a final judgement on them I need more time. I know about the business of course.

“We have time and we will see what is possible and what is not possible.

“We will see what’s necessary and what’s not necessary, that’s how we work.”

In pictures - Liverpool train before Man City clash

Klopp though, is adamant he has faith in his side, and the players who will go to the Etihad in search of a result that will prove their ambitions.

Daniel Sturridge is one of those players, and even though his chequered injury record makes many lose faith in the striker, the German isn’t amongst them.

Klopp also went out of his way on Thursday to offer his complete backing to defender Dejan Lovren, despite the centre half being a constant target for the anger of Reds fans over the past year.

(Image: John Powell) (Image: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty)

In a recent poll the Croat came top when Liverpool fans were asked to name the players they would most like to see dropped.

Lovren will deputise for injured fans’ favourite Mamadou Sakho at City, and the Reds boss is adamant he has no fears about that.

“With Dejan, there will be absolutely no problem,” he said.

“These two guys – Skrtel and Lovren – are healthy and everything is good. Dejan has done a really good job since I’ve come in here.

“I saw his first game for Liverpool - it was against Dortmund, when we lost by four! He was brilliant on this day.

(Image: Andrew Powell)

“I’d heard not the best things about him since but during my time here he’s looked strong and everything is okay.

“As long as these two guys are feeling good we don’t have a big problem.

“Mamadou is not 20 weeks out, it will be earlier than that so that’s good for us.”

While Klopp will agnoise over Sturridge’s participation, he insisted no one at Anfield has the slightest problem with coming face to face with Raheem Sterling since his acrimonious departure from the club in the summer.

“It is normal that important players play against their former club,” Klopp said. “He is a good player.

"He played here for a long time. I heard no bad words about him. He is a good boy.”

(Image: Action Images via Reuters / Jason Cairnduff)

The Liverpool manager also confirmed he has met former Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard this week and reiterated that the midfielder can train at the club before he is due to return to LA Galaxy in mid-January for pre-season training...whilst making clear there will be no comeback with the Reds.

“He is a really, really good person. I enjoyed our time together and we spoke about many things.

“He doesn’t want to play next week or train next week – he wants to enjoy his holiday.

"If he wants to train, of course, he can, no question. He can use Melwood and then go back to LA and train and play. Then it is really far away.”