Jürgen Klopp: Liverpool are “Working on a Response” at Chelsea

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The manager says his team are in good shape despite Tuesday’s loss to Napoli.

Tuesday’s loss to Napoli was deflating after Liverpool’s successes to open the Premier League season. But it was one match and there’s no reason that one poor result should infect the team’s determination and ability to win at Chelsea on Sunday.

Jürgen Klopp said as much at his pre-Chelsea press conference on Friday. With some days now to process the defeat to Napoli, the manager looks at his team’s performance in Italy and has very few criticisms. Liverpool were up against a very good team and Kalidou Koulibaly, in particular, was outstanding for Carlo Ancelotti’s side.

“Yes, we are thinking, working on a response. Performance-wise, the longer I thought about the game, it is not a game we usually lose. It was a mature game against a difficult opponent. People can expect us to dominate the game more but actually that is not possible because Napoli are too good.

“I was really happy with a lot of parts of the game, of course not with our creating chances and finishing. But they are a really good side; Koulibaly their last line, Manolas, good full-backs and midfielders, it’s not a team you score easily against, two, three or four goals.

“We stayed in the game until the penalty, and then the second goal we don’t really have to talk about. But then you lose the game. That’s how it happens, it’s in the small details, we accept that.

“We are in a good shape and we have to keep that going.”

Liverpool will have a chance to put that losing feeling behind them this weekend at Stamford Bridge. Sure, playing a match against a minnow might have been more welcome on Sunday but just think what a win against Chelsea on their home turf could do for your whole week.

Source: liverpooloffside.sbnation.com