Klopp on Brighton win, rotation and the secret to Phil's free-kick
Jürgen Klopp heaped praise upon Liverpool’s ability to adapt to a difficult situation in the absence of key defensive personnel as they recorded a 5-1 win over Brighton and Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium.
The Reds’ preparations were hit by the news Joe Gomez and Joel Matip were ruled out due to a virus and an adductor injury respectively, while Ragnar Klavan was only deemed fit enough for the bench after illness.
It meant Emre Can and Georginio Wijnaldum lined-up in a three-man defence with Dejan Lovren, but any concerns about his side’s chances were dismissed in emphatic style.
It was Can who opened the scoring with a thumping header after half an hour before Roberto Firmino finished off a counter-attack just seconds later to make it 2-0.
The Brazilian was on target again shortly after the break and though Glenn Murray netted a penalty to reduce the arrears, Philippe Coutinho’s wonderful free-kick restored Liverpool’s three-goal advantage before Lewis Dunk headed a shot from the No.10 into his own net at the death.
Read on for a summary of the manager’s post-match press conference…
On the result and Liverpool’s performance…
I didn’t see a lot of non-performing players on our side tonight. We had big problems line-up-wise. You always should be able to react, but it was a little bit close to training that we got information. We couldn’t get it earlier and then from the medical department ill, ill, injured or not cool – and all of them were centre-halves and that makes life difficult. We had to make a quick decision, we had 20-odd minutes in training. The boys did really well and it was difficult place for us. For this game today, the formation fitted really well because we needed the wingers and we had it with the wing-backs. We needed to be patient as well and it’s always good when we have this kind of quality at set-pieces offensively. We’d had already two really good set-pieces and then the third one was fantastic and a nice goal from Emre. The second goal, outstandingly good play, winning the ball and then two passes. To make this kind of goal is really exceptional. The third one was good again, a fantastic counter-attack after winning the ball again. Then the penalty, which I think we all agree is not a penalty. It made it a little bit more exciting, but then we finished the game with a fantastic, smart free-kick.
On rotating his line-up again…
We have to do it. It’s always intense. When you look in the dressing room after the game, they are all really done. We changed again six times, but it’s really hard for the boys. Now we play Wednesday in a very, very important game against Moscow and then we play the derby on Sunday. That’s the life of the players with the games that are coming up; we need the results. I am happy about [our form]. Results-wise it looks like we are flying but unfortunately it is not [like this] because we have to work really hard for it, but that’s OK.
On Simon Mignolet’s magnificent save from Murray immediately before Liverpool's third goal…
Fantastic. It was like scoring a goal. When Simon [kicked] a few balls which were not really long enough, there was a moment when the whole team didn’t play football anymore. We played just back passes in these moments. We gave Simon the ball and under pressure and he has to shoot the ball. The problem was these five or 10 minutes were our worst moments in the game and we let them come a little bit around us after 3-1. We have to improve. We can improve in so many things, but it’s very important because we had the wrong positioning on the pitch, so then we were back passing to Simon. But in this moment [the save] he was outstandingly good.
On whether his team are playing football comparable to the league leaders...
In our counter moments and when we played football, I don’t know if it’s Man City we should compare to but we are a really good football team. We know that but we need to carry on, that’s the most important thing. We speak here about the game which is already an hour finish. Even when I answer your questions I am much more interested in the next game, to be honest. It was good but it's important that it is good because we need the points, we want to be in the situation, we want to stay as close as possible to the teams in front of us. We can't get them immediately because obviously they win a lot of games, but we want to be in a position as close as possible. That's all. So we need to do it, I'm happy about that, the next game is coming and all of them are really important for us.
On winning 5-1 without Sadio Mane...
Yes, and Sturridge. [It's] good, to be honest. It’s cool. We have these options with Dom Solanke on the bench, that's really good. Alberto Moreno played so far a fantastic season was not even in the squad, we rested him today.
On Coutinho's performance...
Very good. I am really happy about that. I love goals like the free-kick but both goals are smart. Was it an own goal? Ah, come on! The free-kick was credit to the analysts, you see something like this in the video meeting and then use it or don't use it but you need to have the technique to do it. We don’t have a proper wall in training, they have wheels, they cannot jump!
On Brighton's performance...
They defend deep, that’s how it is. Both wingers involved, 100 per cent, all of them really involved, and then Murray tries to catch what he can catch and then it's a transition game. It's always much more difficult than a 5-1 looks, you know. At 2-0 the biggest chance of Brighton was the Simon Mignolet wonder save so it could have been different. But now, we won it and I think we deserved it.