Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp says Virgil van Dijk's inconsistent form is "normal" after returning from long-term knee injury last year.

Klopp says it's important to be patient with the Holland defender.

He said, "It's completely normal... players get injured and then come back. And then one game we give them, [even] in his first game [back] probably people say he's not at his best yet. OK, then give them three days more time and then they should be at their best. How can that work? In the good old times people said to be back to your best you need as long as you were injured, thank God that was not true – whenever, '90s, somebody believed that.

"I know it from my own injury when I had a long-term one and they told me that – OK, it's going to be a tough time then. But it's not like this, it's completely normal that you find rhythm and stuff like this and it's always important they still get the minutes. We get judged every day for the things the people see in this moment and that's it then. But I don't think it's too difficult to ignore that and just to work yourself through that, then you go and you will arrive at your best again and everything is fine."

Ahead of facing Wolves tonight, Klopp also welcomed the return to full fitness of Diogo Jota.

He said, "Very, [it's] massive. Diogo is an exceptional player. The next one he was injured, stuff like this, and [he] needs to get rhythm now. I think it helped him a lot [starting]. Yes, he was tired, of course, after the game – that's clear. [It's the] same with him, we'll have to see how he reacted and then finally today we have to make these kind of decisions [on] who can start or who should start.

"He will definitely be involved again if nothing happens. It's a top-class player, so it's great; versatile, he can play on the left wing, he can play in the centre and on the right wing as well. So, that's really helpful for this busy period we are having."