Liverpool vs. Leicester: Jurgen Klopp's Key Pre-Match Press Conference Quotes

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has insisted that centre-back Mamadou Sakho does not need to gain his trust despite reports that he would be "banished" from the side by the German. 

According to David Anderson of the Daily Mirror, Sakho, 26, rejected moves to West Bromwich Albion, Stoke City and Besiktas during the summer despite being told by Klopp to leave Liverpool after "falling out spectacularly with him on the club's pre-season trip to the United States."

However, speaking on Thursday ahead of Liverpool's home clash with Leicester City in the Premier League on Saturday, Klopp said the focus was on returning the injured Sakho to full fitness rather than repairing their relationship, per Joe Mewis of the Daily Mirror:

"

Now it’s about making Mama fit after a long time out. Then we will see what happens.

We spoke about that before the window shut and that’s what I did. Now the squad is clear, and we can’t change anything. He doesn’t have to gain my trust. He didn’t play for a long time. Then you think how can you get match time?

"

Sakho was arguably Liverpool's best centre-back last season, and despite the summer arrivals of Joel Matip and Ragnar Klavan, there will surely still be a place for the France international when he returns to fitness, per Bleacher Report's Sam Tighe:

Klopp also disregarded Mino Raiola's recent comments in which the Dutchman, Mario Balotelli's agent, branded him a "piece of s--t" and accused him of showing disrespect to the Italian striker before his summer departure to Nice, per the Liverpool Echo's James Pearce:

Due to building work going on at Anfield into the beginning of the 2016-17 season, Saturday's clash with the defending Premier League champions will be Liverpool's first home game of the season.

In the opening three matches, the Merseyside outfit have beaten Arsenal, lost to Burnley and, most recently, earned a 1-1 draw with Tottenham Hotspur.

Klopp believes that, given his side have played three consecutive games on the road, their current tally of four points is no disaster, per Mewis: "Four points doesn’t feel too good but it’s not really bad. We’ve three away games in the Premier League—tough start."

However, Liverpool cannot continue to drop early-season points or they will drop off the pace currently being set by Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea—who are all on nine points after three matches.

The clash with Leicester is sure to be tough, but the Reds overcame Claudio Ranieri's side 1-0 in the corresponding fixture last season.

Klopp hailed Saturday's match as a "wonderful opportunity" for Liverpool to kick-start their season in their first home game and urged his team to harness the "power" of the extra 8,000 fans afforded them by the new Main Stand at Anfield, per Liverpool:

Leicester have had a similarly mixed start to the season as Liverpool, winning one, drawing one and losing one.

Both teams then will be eager to claim all three points in what should be a closely fought contest.

Klopp will have to do without both Klavan and Emre Can for the match, but he announced that Sadio Mane "has trained completely normal" and will be available for selection, per Mewis.

Liverpool will be eager to give their home fans a good show in their first home match of the season and defeating the champions would be a big statement that the Reds will be a force in 2016-17.