Klopp apologizes and exalts Xherdan Shaqiri

Jurgen Klopp has exalted Xherdan Shaqiri after the Albanian winger made a spectacular appearance and scored his first goal of the season after a full seven months in Liverpool’s 5-2 win over Everton.

The Liverpool German coach apologized to the Swiss national from the Gjilan-based side, but it was argued that injuries were a major factor in the 28-year-old’s lack of confidence in his first squad.

Shaqiri scored one of Liverpool’s five goals in the Merseyside derby on Wednesday night at Anfield.

But it wasn’t just the goal that got the attention, because the Albanian winger made a great overall appearance in the full 90 minutes, especially knowing he was coming from a two-month leg injury.

Shaqa spent the first weeks of the season on the bench, but then things got worse for him when he was injured and missing two months.

On his return now, however, the 28-year-old delighted his coach with what he showed on the pitch as a starter.

“Really (seven months)? I’m sorry Shaq! He was injured twice,” Klopp said when asked about Shaqiri’s involvement in the first lineup on Wednesday.

“If he had scored two goals like Divock Oridgi and not one, I would have said the same thing I said about Origi,” he added.

“Shaqiri looked completely cool, strong, physically strong, so it’s important for players to train after injuries. He had a problem with the pulp twice this season, but I think he has been training for two or three weeks and he looks absolutely fine,” he said.

“It has been clear that this is the time of year when all the players look to us and I hope everyone will be in shape like Shaq and Divock tonight,” he concluded.