Klopp on Palace win and Liverpool work ethic: “Run or I will kill you”

Last night Liverpool ground out a 2-0 win away to Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park with goals from James Milner and Sadio Mane to propel them back to second in the Premier League table.

Milner’s 45th-minute penalty came after Mohamed Salah was fouled in the box by former Red Mamadou Sakho; Liverpool’s number eleven was brought down again 15 minutes from time by Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who received a straight red card for his last-man challenge on the Egyptian.

Sadio Mane sealed all three points against the ten men of Palace in the 93rd minute, rounding the keeper to tap in his third goal in two matches for Liverpool.

Manager Jurgen Klopp was pleased with the nature of the win, but was quick to downplay any suggestions of title-winning aspirations at this early stage of the season.

“It was not a brilliant football game from us,” said Klopp, as quoted in the Echo. “We don’t have to make it bigger than it is.

“We won it because we scored in two very decisive moments. That’s good for us.

“It was a big step. For those who watch us often, they know if we are not brilliant then we usually lose. In the end today, we were not brilliant but we won. That is a nice, not completely new, but it is not often we experience that situation.”

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LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 20: Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp speaks to his players during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, London. (Photo by Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP)

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Klopp heaped praise on his defence after the match while highlighting the need for his attacking players to improve.

“Defensively it was absolutely okay. I was not too happy with our offensive play.

“The rhythm was not good, timing was not good. Both full-backs need to be involved much more and open up their game a little bit to give us more options.

“That wasn’t too cool but we had three or four good situations around their goal, good passes in small spaces around and in the box.

“We scored in the best minute of the first half and then exactly the same in the second half, but by then we controlled the game.

“I thought we could have done better but I expected Palace to be strong. They were clear in their approach against us, playing this big number of long balls.

“But still the second ball drops, that was their plan as well so it was difficult to be 100% in this situations.”

The win sees Liverpool return to the top four, just behind Manchester City on goal difference. Klopp, however, refused to be drawn into a debate about his side’s title-winning credentials.

“It’s very early,” said Klopp. “I couldn’t care less really. We are not in a race with other Premier League teams each weekend.

“It is too strong to say anything after two match days. You can discuss whatever you want – just do it without us.”

Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson was angered by the penalty decision. Speaking to BBC Sport, he said:

“We probably did enough to get a result. I don’t think it was a penalty. I’m angered that a good result was taken from us.”

He did, however, concede that the red card decision was correct.

“Wan-Bissaka catches him,” he said. “I don’t think he tried to pull him down but there was contact and he pulled him down. It was the right decision. He was the last man and did his best to rescue the situation. In another game he might have got a toe on the ball. I don’t blame him at all.”

Liverpool demonstrated real grit and tenacity throughout the game – Klopp was pleased with his team’s ability to endure to the end:

“In these moments the fuel is really low and maybe the players need a bit of help from an angry manager – ‘run or I will kill you’ – and they did that with a fantastic counter-attack.”

The Reds next game is at home to Brighton on Saturday evening.

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Source: anfieldhq.com