Jurgen Klopp hailed the “best counter-pressing behind closed doors ever” as Liverpool dominated Crystal Palace with a 4-0 win pushing them ever closer to the title.
The Reds are now just two points, or a Man City draw or defeat to Chelsea, away from winning the Premier League, having blown Palace away at Anfield.
It was a brilliant performance from Klopp’s side, particularly after such a drab Merseyside derby just three days previous, and it certainly did justice to the return to Anfield.
Speaking in his post-match press conference, the manager praised his side for “respecting the people” with a performance worthy of a packed-out stadium.
“We showed a lot, if not everything, that helped to put us in the position we are now,” he said after Liverpool went 23 points clear of Man City.
“There are obviously different ways you can play this game, but you don’t have to compare it, it’s not too important. What I saw tonight, we want to have that.
“Before this part of the season, I said to the boys ‘I want to see the best behind-closed-doors football ever’.
“I’m not sure it was the best football, but it was for sure the best counter-pressing behind closed doors ever.
“The attitude we showed tonight, the passion that we showed, was exceptional. And we played some outstanding football, the goals we scored were exceptional.
“In my job, usually you have to calm things down and say ‘we can improve’, and we can improve, I know that, but that’s not important tonight.
“Tonight it’s only important that we gave this sign, and that we showed our supporters the respect they deserve, that we can play like they are here even when they are not here.
“Yes, they can push us to incredible things, and without them it’s nothing.
“I’ve never missed them more than tonight, because imagine if this game happened with 55,000 people in the stadium, that would have been incredible.
“But we can’t have that in the moment, so it was important that we showed our respect to the people, and that’s what the boys did tonight. I loved it.”
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