Liverpool 1-1 Burnley: Jürgen Klopp's reaction
Jürgen Klopp was pleased with certain aspects of Liverpool's performance in Saturday's 1-1 draw with Burnley but rued missed opportunities throughout.
The Reds dropped points at Anfield for the first time in 2019-20 in what was their penultimate home game of the campaign as they were held by the Clarets.
Andy Robertson’s fine header had put the champions in front just after the half-hour mark and only a string of outstanding saves from visiting ‘keeper Nick Pope prevented them from enhancing their advantage.
But Burnley drew level midway through the second period when Jay Rodriguez cracked the ball into the bottom corner after a free-kick had dropped invitingly for him inside the area.
Both teams had opportunities to win it, with Johann Berg Gudmundsson rattling Alisson Becker’s crossbar and Mohamed Salah having a late strike stopped by Pope.
Read on for a summary of what the manager told his post-match press conference at Anfield…
On his thoughts on the performance...
Good performance in most parts of the game. There were moments when it was like Liverpool against Nick Pope. I think it's the biggest challenge in football to play against a team which is that well organised and create against a team that is that well organised and has such an outstanding attitude like Burnley has. But we created super chances but there was one guy who wanted to deny us and that was Nick Pope. That was then the problem pretty much of the game because for different reasons this result left the door open for Burnley. It was always clear they had corners where Ali was really under pressure from three or four players around. Then free-kicks on top of that, not too much but some. It was clear they want to have these situations. When they had them it was always a threat. Apart from that, how I said, we really did well, we should have scored more but we didn’t do that. I'm fine with the performance for 80 minutes, I would say. More than fine because it was probably one of the best games we played against Burnley but we didn’t score and that’s why we only got a point.
On certain refereeing decisions during the game...
I didn’t speak about the Andy Robertson situation because in the game I didn't see it, I saw it after the game. Look, I spoke about the goalkeeper situations. I feel like we've lost the game. We didn’t, I know that and maybe it’s not the best moment then to talk about these things. It would be good [if] you win 4-0 and then you could talk to the ref about that – and I would have. But that's a problem. But how can you let it happen that a goalie constantly when a corner comes in is that three players are allowed to block him? That's just not how it should be. But for the ref it was obviously not a foul or not a problem and that’s why he didn’t whistle in these situations. That's what I told him. It had no influence on the result, how I realised later.
On the displays of Curtis Jones and Neco Williams...
Look, for a player with the creativity and the technical skills of Curtis, it's a good game to play. If the boys around him create these moments where Curtis can then really use these skills – turn, good orientation – our style of play suits him so that he can really be quite impressive, I know that. A lot of steps to go for him obviously. But it was a good game, that’s true. It's much more difficult for Neco to play on that side against a team who is pretty much there for counter-attacks and set-pieces, but he did really well as well. It was good, just good. How I said, the game was a really good game and they were all responsible for that. But in the end, it was just a draw and I cannot really deny that it feels completely like we've lost the game because we should have scored more often. But we didn’t but that’s our fault and nobody else’s fault. That's why it's 1-1.
On Roberto Firmino not scoring at Anfield in the Premier League this season...
It cannot become a psychological problem because Bobby played today an outstanding game and we don't judge him. So I hope he will not read your newspaper if you make a story of it because we just don’t think about it. It's not important who scores. We need Bobby for other things, we need Bobby in exactly the spaces where he was today, we need him as a link-up for all the other things. We only have chances in other positions because Bobby plays the way he plays. And he will score, there is absolutely no doubt about it. We are not worried at all about that because he played an outstanding game today and was involved in so many decisive situations. In the end, nobody really scored apart from Robbo with a header, which is pretty exceptional. It will not become a problem.
On Andy Robertson’s performance after starting on the bench in midweek…
It helps. Millie was not available as well so thank god Neco is now here and made big steps in training so we can give the boys this kind of rest. Robbo came on in the last game already and made a massive difference, [so] there were 45 minutes pretty much which we saved him. That was really good and today was really good as well. Neco is now here and we can make these kind of decisions and it’s good.
On what Liverpool’s young players need to do to improve…
Nothing, just train with us and get used to different situations. It’s not that we now have to say, ‘OK, the left foot is weak’ and stuff like this – it is not about that, it is just getting used to the situations and the different situations in a Premier League football game, the intensity. In the moment if they make a mistake then it’s like, ‘OK, but they are still young’ and that’s all true – and [they are] human beings, which makes it even more tricky. So it’s all of these things, just to gain stability and be always there when you have to. It’s not that they have to make incredibly big steps. The best thing is if you would have the experience of a 35-year-old player in the legs of a 20-year-old player. That is perfect because at 35 years you have seen so many different situations on the pitch, you have experienced so many different moments that it doesn’t get you anymore, it is just normal. So yes, it was totally intense today and Burnley wanted to go for free-kicks and stuff like this, corners and all these things. We were constantly active, constantly in attacking situations, so how to deal with these situations and how to use spaces, you learn that while you are training with outstandingly good football players. That’s exactly what they will do. Then it’s up to them, that’s how it is. Who makes the best impression will get the first line-up shirt, it was always like this and will stay like this.
On whether it is difficult to blood young players when the stakes are so high…
I’m not sure it’s about how high the stakes are, it’s about how ready are the boys. I have never made that comparison, that we play for everything and that’s why you need to be in a specific age. There are no old and young players there are only good and not-so-good players – and I hope we have only good players, or even exceptional players. Who is in our squad should be ready to play. That’s why he is in the squad, the age is only only one [piece] of information from 500 other [pieces of] information. The problem is not with young players but generally with players is that the team is really good and as long as we show the attitude like we did today again, then it is just difficult to have 40 games in a row. Young players have so much time on their hands that they really can improve and don’t have the pressure - especially not from us. If they use the time, then the future is beautiful for them.
