Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admits they have to improve the defensive side of their game but says a lack of clean sheets is not down to a more attacking approach.

In five matches this season they have scored 15 goals and conceded five in the Premier League, with just one clean sheet – at Burnley last month – in eight matches in all competitions this season.

At the same stage last season the Reds had scored 11 and conceded just two, having opened the league campaign with three successive clean sheets.

Injuries to Manchester City defenders John Stones and Aymeric Laporte has left them with just one fit centre-back in Nicolas Otemendi and potentially handed a crucial advantage to Liverpool early in the campaign.

Klopp was asked whether worries about an injury to Virgil Van Dijk, UEFA player of the year and the Reds’ key defensive figure, kept him awake at night.

“Not yet. That is the reason why we have four centre-halves,” said Klopp.

“It is not easy for the in-the-moment number four not playing but if something happens, like last year a couple of things happened and then you end up with one centre-half and a defensive midfielder like against Bayern at home with Fabinho and Joel (Matip) as centre-halves.

“That can happen, it was unlucky, but you cannot think about injuries before you have an injury. We all need luck to be really successful.”