ReactionJürgen Klopp press conference: The manager's analysis of Liverpool 0-1 Crystal Palace

Eberechi Eze's 14th-minute goal was the difference on Sunday as the Reds' Premier League title ambitions were dealt a blow.

Klopp's team hit the woodwork through Wataru Endo and spurned several clear-cut chances to haul themselves back into the contest, meaning they suffered back-to-back home defeats following Thursday's reverse to Atalanta.

See what the manager said in his post-match press conference below.

On whether Liverpool have 'lacked conviction' in their recent fixtures…

I think the problem is a little bit that I am not 100 per cent sure that in general how we dealt with the [Manchester] United games particularly helped. I mean, we lost the game in the cup and it was like a catastrophe because we were that good and lost it anyway. Then we draw there [in the league], were really good for a long spell and just drew it – that's now not the reason for today, it's a few weeks back anyway, but you asked about the last few weeks. So, the problems we had in the United games were completely different to the things we had today. Yes, the goals we conceded are too easy, that's probably a general thing that is true.

So, we all – players included, me included – we expected a reaction and we saw a reaction that we lost in that game [against Atalanta] more than only the game a little bit. It didn't help, you could just see, and on top of that the game before at United where we lost points. We just were always too wide and the goal we conceded, Eze ends up completely free in the box – that cannot happen. But we had other moments when they didn't end up in front of our goal where we were just not together. So, let me say it like this: if you press with 80 per cent you better don't [do it at all], because that makes no sense then because we had 'here and there'. I think Curtis [Jones] was really going for it, following through, stuff like that, besides that the first line were a bit too far away from each other, no real impulse. Macca [Alexis Mac Allister] and Wataru, maybe normal, didn't really follow in as well and the last line was too deep as well.

So, that's where Crystal Palace had too much possession. In these moments we had to run in the wrong direction, we were 1-0 down and obviously it doesn't feel great. You cannot gain momentum in these moments. So, half-time, 1-0 down – fine, that's how it is. Then obviously the second half is a really good home game, it's a really good game. I'm not sure they had chances really but we had a lot, the big ones, the four where everybody would think, 'That should be a goal,' and others where we were nearly there. So, we had momentum, we were in the game and we could put them under pressure.

And that's now how it is, we showed the right reaction in the game, we didn't give in or whatever, or think, 'That's another day off.' Not at all, the boys really tried hard but in the end it was not enough, we have to admit that as well. The 'conviction' I talked about, our formation was never really there for causing Palace problems. The diagonal balls they play you can only defend by putting the guy on the ball under pressure, there is no other chance to do that. We didn't do that and that means they can play and then the whole formation is constantly making runs – we do it then to defend them, but it's not for winning the ball, it's just for defending them and that's a big difference.

On dropping five points in the last two league games...

It's easy, I understand 100 per cent, of course you have to ask these questions – what does it mean for the title race and stuff like this. I am not dumb, I know that. The answer is pretty easy: if we play like we did in the first half, why should we win the league? If you play like in the second half, we can win football games. So if we can win football games then we will see how many we can win. We have to be around when the other guys now struggle, if they struggle, so that's how it is. For us, obviously we have to win football games anyway.

We now have a string of four away games, if I'm right, and that would have been tough anyway, it will be tough and we know that. That's clear that we have to deal with that now and that's the easy thing. There is nothing else really to say. The criticism in these moments is completely fine and absolutely right, it's all about how we deal with it. In the first half we didn't deal particularly well with the situation, but second half we pulled ourselves together and should have won the game but didn't do, I saw the result. That's it.

On whether 'fatigue is setting in' within the squad...

I understand as well, I see the same game like you do. Did Wataru and Macca now play a little bit too much in the last few weeks? Maybe, they were the two most-used [players], especially Macca. The other guys came back from injury. I would say Curtis today was really good. Dom [Szoboszlai] came back from injury, stuff like this, kind of rhythm. I think for the situation Trent [Alexander-Arnold] is in, that was really good but I don't think he could now play 120 minutes, let me say it like that. Robbo [Andy Robertson] came back from injury. All these kind of things, so a couple of players had to play a lot and a couple of players always were interrupted – that's a bit the situation. It's actually not too interesting for us if we find now the real answer. We just have to make sure that we don't think about where we are coming from – whether they are injured or whether they are not – and we just have to make sure we find a way to beat the specific opponent in front of us. It's always like this.

For winning, as a manager you find a lot of explanations, 'This was great, this was great.' When you lose, it's not as easy to find these things and they might be obvious but it's not about now putting the finger into that or that or that. The solution is always being really together on the pitch for us. Where we are, we got because we were against the ball an absolute machine, and that's what we have to be. In that moment, we have the rhythm, we have the momentum in the game, it's difficult for the opponent, they don't feel great, we feel much better and then these boys can really play football. Today they showed in a really difficult situation that they can do that, and that was good. But it doesn't feel great anyway because we lost the game and we planned this day completely differently. But here we are and, how I said, we have to deal with that.