Milner: I’m learning left-back role as fast as I can

Klopp is now saying, “I am in charge, you do what I say, you go on when I say, you warm up when I say”, and players have to accept it.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp plays down the significance of Daniel Sturridge only being handed a two-minute cameo against Tottenham Hotspur.

Last season Liverpool players were often given slack for wanting the ball at their feet and not making too many forward runs in order to receive the pass.

But Klopp always meant to ease Ings in gently after the cruciate ligament injury which ruled him out for most of last season.

Attacking and defending are not as distinct as Sturridge seems to think.

He admitted that they “have to accept it” because equally Alderweireld’s header going in would have made it “the same game but with two goals for Tottenham” and instead chose to focus on the positives.

Jurgen Klopp insisted Liverpool missed the opportunity to secure a second Premier League victory of the season after drawing 1-1 with Tottenham at White Hart Lane.

Fabio Borini, Duncan Watmore and youngster Joel Asoro can all play up front, but there would be major questions marks over who would lead the line should Defoe pick up an injury.

“In the end, today feels worse than last time I was here”, he said, pinpointing Mignolet’s “really good game” on their last visit and joking that he “saved our lives” to preserve a point. There’s no big mountain for him, Daniel.

“He is a fantastic player as we all know but Jurgen Klopp has obviously made a decision to flex his muscles to let people know I am in charge and what I say goes. Hopefully we can make different lineups for different games”.

“He still has to adapt and learn because he’s not had 500 games in this position but we will work on it, like we work on every player”.

“I think I have adapted throughout my career to playing different positions and this one is different as well”.

Liverpool could still do with more mental quickness and calmness in midfield: a rudder in the vein of Dietmar Hamann, someone who can reset the team when whirlwind mode malfunctions. Maybe Emre Can will conduct the team more knowingly from midfield when fit.

So far this season, Ings has only played for the Liverpool under-23 side.