Klopp happy with Liverpool ‘attitude’ and ‘control’

Southampton manager Claude Puel was delighted to take a point from the Saints’ Premier League clash with Liverpool on Saturday, watching his players become only the third team to stop the Reds from finding the net so far this season in the 0-0 St Mary’s draw.

Jurgen Klopp sent Daniel Sturridge on with 12 minutes remaining to try and swing the match in their favour, but they failed to get the goal, leaving the door open for Chelsea to displace them with a win away at Middlesbrough on Sunday. The German said the onus was on Liverpool to find ways to break down obdurate opponents while retaining their concentration at the other end of the pitch – something he took encouragement from at Southampton, where Liverpool enjoyed 65% possession and were rarely troubled at the back. We were prepared for a hard game but then in the game it feels differently, obviously. “But we have no problem with this, that’s how it is”.

“We have 15 worldwide players and it is hard to work without these players during the break”.

“Both full-backs always pushed back and run in the right spaces, so I don’t think they had a lot of fun today, but that’s one job you have to do in a football game”.

“We weren’t that good against United”. It’s good and what you have to do, and what we did at Borussia Dortmund.

“It’s an obligation to change the team”.

The duo did make Klopp’s XI, although they lacked their usual cohesion and attacking flair, but the manager does not believe that had anything to do with a lack of fitness as they were passed fit to play. “We would not have taken a risk if he had, 100 percent not”. We have the quality to score.

Dejan Lovren, who was booed every time he touched the ball by Southampton supporters unhappy about the manner of his departure two years ago, will have been delighted that Liverpool kept what was only their second clean sheet of the season. “Of course, we play against a very good team with great players”. However, they are dealt with back-to-back losses in their last two fixtures, which pushed them once again towards the bottom three. First half, you could see we thought: ‘It’s really hard.’ We were prepared for a hard game but then in the game it feels differently, obviously. We are not weak in defending. “But then my mother says you have to be kind”. “We deserved a point as minimum so I’m completely fine”.