Jurgen Klopp insists Liverpool are ahead of where he expected them to be as he aims for a first win in his fourth match in charge.

The German must have thought he was about to break his duck when Christian Benteke put Liverpool ahead late on against Southampton on Sunday only for Sadio Mane to equalise.

That made it three draws in succession for Klopp, who expressed his surprise in the aftermath at the extreme reaction of his players to conceding the goal.

But he was keen to project a much more positive vibe ahead of Wednesday’s Capital One Cup clash with Bournemouth at Anfield.

Klopp said: “I think it’s more a problem with my language. I don’t have enough words to make the small differences between words and meaning.

“I really don’t have problems. How I understand it is, if we bring new information, if you were at this level, then you go a step down and then it goes in the other direction.

“That’s pretty normal. It’s the time you need to change your movements and all these things. I’m surprised how big the steps are that we did.

“Everybody can see we need the results. We had results, not the most satisfying in the world. We didn’t have the easiest opponents to play against.

“If you are new in a club, normally you have more time, but if you don’t you have to accept that the way is hard.

“We have a very important competition every three days and we have to find a solution. My faith in this team is really big. It’s a really good working atmosphere in this squad.

“If someone hoped (the changes) would be quicker then I’m sorry but I think it’s not better that you win the first game and don’t know why. It’s important we find a way to win games in the future and know why, then we know we will get better.”

Klopp is being hampered in his efforts to implement the changes he wants by the sheer number of games Liverpool have to play.

He confirmed he will rotate his squad for Wednesday night’s tie but insisted the competition is a priority.

“In this moment I don’t know how many changes we will make,” he said. “But I make the changes not because this competition is not important for me. It’s because I want to win the game.

“We had three games in the last eight or nine days in the legs so of course we have to change things.

“We have a suspended player in (James) Milner, we have injured players with little problems that we don’t want to risk. It’s the most important cup in the world because it’s the only one we have to play tomorrow.”

One or both of Benteke and Roberto Firmino could start after returning from injury off the bench against Southampton but there will again be no Daniel Sturridge.

The striker is once again recovering more slowly than expected from an injury and has not yet returned to training after picking up what appeared to be a minor knee problem.

Klopp said: “There’s nothing new. Daniel’s not available. He’s getting better but not quick enough to change the situation for us. He’s not in training so we have to wait.”

Klopp may give one or more of the club's young players a chance, with teenage midfielder Cameron Brannagan in pole position after signing a new deal on Monday.

Fans are desperate to have home-grown talent to cheer again following Steven Gerrard’s departure and Jamie Carragher’s retirement but Klopp will not be swayed by emotion.

He said: “I don’t think that it’s possible you bring a local player through because he’s a local player. I don’t think anybody wants this. Of course this part is very important but first of all we have to give these players enough time for their development.”