Leicester City make very different pre-match decision to Liverpool ahead of Premier League clash

Jurgen Klopp made his stance clear when asked if he was happy if Liverpool had a nine-day break before their next fixture.

Following a 1-0 triumph over Brentford - the Reds' six successive win in all competitions - the German was relishing a hiatus. His side had just played three games within a seven-day period and their efforts against the Bees highlighted that. Liverpool were nowhere near at their imperious best - they were steely rather than scintillating.

"Imagine we would have played now on Tuesday again, we would be completely knackered," said Klopp when asked if the break was a good thing rather than having the chance to keep the momentum going. “It’s really fine. You could see that today, there was one team who had a full week and one team who played only three days ago a super-intense game as well, and before that three days ago a super-intense game as well."

With three fixtures remaining this season, Klopp knows that Liverpool's chances of finishing in the Premier League top four remain slim. Yet they have a glimmer of hope now they're one point behind Manchester United. Granted, the Reds have played a game more than their bitter rivals but they've at least put the pressure on in the race for Champions League qualification.

To prepare for the trip to Leicester City on Monday, Klopp opted for his squad to jet off to sunnier climes for a couple of days. Barcelona was the destination of choice to Liverpool to unwind and recharge.

The Reds are now back on Merseyside as they now set their sights on the Foxes. And Leicester have opted to prepare for the King Power Stadium encounter in a starkly contrasting situation. The Foxes are in the relegation mire after suffering a 5-3 loss to Fulham last time out.

As a result, The Times reports that Dean Smith was left stunned at his side's performance, having been four goals down after 51 minutes, and scrapped a day off on Tuesday. Instead, the Leicester players were called into training to analyse the humbling reverse they suffered at the hands of Fulham.

On the loss, Smith said: “Every game that you play at this level is tough, whether it’s Fulham or Liverpool to come. We’ve got to make sure that we look after ourselves and make sure we’re alright.

“The frustrating part for me is I didn’t see it coming [the Fulham defeat]. We’ve been fairly resolute and the attitude and application of the players has been excellent, so I didn’t see that first half coming.”