Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has defended senior pair Diogo Jota and Virgil van Dijk.

Van Dijk has struggled for consistency this season, while Jota has been underwhelming since his return from long-term injury.

“I thought Diogo has done really well since he's back because it was a really long injury for that," the German said. “A super mature boy, super. Dealing well with difficulties and setbacks. It was really impressive, for the age he is.

“The level of the performance he produced, I really liked. He was good against Chelsea. He closed the right side really well and offensively was a threat again.

“He doesn't have the foundation physically to go and go and go and go, yet, because of the long injury. But Diogo is a really good player and we missed him a lot during the season.

“We missed Lucho (Luis Diaz) as well, a lot, for big parts of the season. From next week on, Lucho will be back hopefully as well, completely normal.

“Diogo is back which is absolutely helpful. It might be for him that this year is not one he will remember as the best of his life because he was injured for the majority of it. But for us with these last few games we have, he is super important."

Meanwhile, on Van Dijk, Klopp said: "Virg is a leader, he's not under pressure to be a leader," he said. “He's a leader and was always a leader. Maybe the focus is now a little bit more on him.

“I don't think he is more vocal than before to be honest. I think he was always vocal. In a super game, I don't think you realise how much people are talking because it's constantly going, but in his line we have to play better as well.

“But he knows that. He knows that as well and everything we can do to do that is very welcome. Yes, organising a line is a massive thing but it's not that he started now, becoming a leader or whatever. It was always the case, from the first day."