Klopp: If you're constantly flying, you're not ready for difficulties
Jürgen Klopp feels Liverpool will benefit from overcoming early-season challenges as the campaign progresses.
A gritty 2-1 win at Leicester City on Saturday places the Reds top of the Premier League during the first international break of 2018-19 with 12 points from four games.
That victory at the King Power Stadium was preceded by a tight 1-0 home success over Brighton and Hove Albion and a resilient 2-0 win against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.
Only on the opening weekend, when West Ham United were dispatched 4-0 at Anfield, have Klopp’s team consistently displayed the kind of attacking verve that was their hallmark last term throughout a match so far this season.
Highlights: Mane and Firmino goals beat Leicester
The manager, though, sees long-term advantages in Liverpool not being at their spellbinding best just yet.
“To build a team over a season you need, in an ideal world, these common experiences. In an ideal world, with getting three points in a difficult game,” Klopp told Liverpoolfc.com post-match.
“If you are flying constantly, you are not prepared for the difficult moments - you cannot be prepared - so we are.
“We know that and I told the boys immediately after the game in the dressing room that if winning away games in the Premier League would be so easy, then everybody would do it constantly.
“It’s difficult, it’s really difficult, and to do it in the way we did it - yes, we caused ourselves problems, yes, we could’ve done better, but in the moments we did what we actually wanted to do, we were really strong.
“In the moment, we are obviously not stable enough to do it over 90 minutes, but that’s what we are working for and that’s what we want to do, of course, so it’s all fine.
“You can always make a criticism, like a detail here or there, but then at the end if you do that and you could change all these things then it’s 8-0 or something. That’s not how life is, that’s not how football is. 2-1, fantastic result.”