Liverpool tore Manchester United apart in a phenomenal 90 minutes at Old Trafford, winning 5-0 with an “insane” attacking display.
Here are four key things from Klopp’s post-match press conference at Manchester United:
1. Another chapter in Liverpool history
The boss is all-too-aware that Liverpool – or any other clubs – don’t pick such massive wins at Old Trafford very often.
He isn’t surprised that the team was capable of such a performance, but to do it on this stage was particularly impressive and he hailed it as a “really good day” and the team wanted an historic occasion.
“We wanted to write their own little chapters in the big history book of this club – this was a little one tonight. It will not happen very often if it happens again at all,” he said.
The boss hailed the formation, the pressing, the timing of the runs and above all else the clinical edge the team showed in dispatching United.
2. Keita was always going to play
Keita scored a wondergoal in midweek before being at fault for a goal or two in Atleti’s comeback – but Klopp feels the No8 is in a fantastic run of form regardless and backed him to bounbce back.
He did exactly that and was having a fantastic game, until a bone-crunching challenge ended his evening.
“Naby is in a great moment, an outstanding player. At Atletico he played outstandingly well until he made the mistake for the first goal. It shattered him a little bit…but it’s clear we’d start him again and he proved us right.
“We have to see how serious it is, it’s very painful but we’ll see – we’ll only know tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.”
James Milner, meanwhile, has a hamstring issue.
3. Salah gets the goals, Bobby assists the whole team
Klopp had praise for Mo Salah when asked about the hat-trick hero of course, but he was then questioned on Firmino’s display too – and the manager has never been shy about voicing his admiration for the Brazilian.
“Mo gets a lot of attention yes, rightly so, but Bobby: for people with football knowledge, people will write books about the way he interpreted the false nine position.
“There are different things to do on the pitch, some are defensive and what he did with that tonight was absolutely insane. Bobby knows how much we appreciate what he’s doing and that’s more important.”
A hat-trick last week was a real highlight, but the coaches and his team-mates will have appreciated today’s showing every bit as much.
4. Klopp holds sympathy for fellow coach
United were, shall we say, overly aggressive at times – they were lucky to escape with just the one red card, the boss believed. We tend to agree.
But as a manager, he has been in Solskjaer’s position before in suffering big defeats, and knows the United pretender is in for a difficult few days.
“It looked like [a red for Ronaldo] but I got told he got the ball. I don’t want Ronaldo to get a red card but it looks like [it was].
“The last thing I want is to be in Ole’s shoes in this moment but that’s how it is. When you lose a derby, it happened to me – you don’t want to go in the mixed zone and answer questions. It’s not a nice night.”
It is for Reds though, all over the world – this was a result to cherish.
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