Takumi Minamino was delighted to have made his debut for the club in what was “one of the most intense matches” he has been apart of.
Minamino officially linked up with Jurgen Klopp‘s side at the turn of the new year after making the move from Salzburg, where he swiftly made his debut in the meeting with Everton in the FA Cup.
The Reds emerged as victors after a superb strike from Curtis Jones, with Minamino watching on from the bench having only just been withdrawn from proceedings with 70 minutes on the clock.
It was an outing which saw Liverpool dominate all facets of the game despite their inexperience and youth in comparison to the Blues, it was an evening which, while intense, was one which did not leave him surprised having deployed a similar style at Salzburg.
“I’m happy that now I’m a part of this team,” Minamino said.
“It was probably one of the most intense matches I’ve played, but I knew the Premier League would be like that so I wasn’t surprised.
“The way we press aggressively, the way we press back, the way we use the space between lines is similar to Salzburg.
“But the system is not the same so I have to understand the difference and fit myself into this team.
“I think this is the best stadium for a footballer. The fans were great and I’m just glad we won.”
Liverpool’s No. 18 was lively throughout his maiden outing and while he will continue to grow in confidence and stature within the side as the weeks go by, Klopp was impressed by what he saw from his newest addition merely days after his arrival.
And with another busy month ahead in two competitions and a number of injuries to contend with, Minamino is likely to have a number of further opportunities to settle into the side.
“Super, outstanding. Exactly the player we wanted, exactly the player we wished for,” the boss told reporters.
“Your first game in a team you don’t know, if it’s a settled team it’s already difficult – this team we threw more or less on the pitch with two sessions together.
“And then showing this kind of game understanding, football skills are exceptional, attitude is outstanding, led the chasing pack so often in different situations, which I loved.”
Fan Comments