Klopp: It was the kind of game we wanted to play

Jurgen Klopp was satisfied after Liverpool recorded a comfortable 2-0 win against Rangers in their Champions League group clash at Anfield on Tuesday evening.

 

After weeks of analysis about his personal performances, Trent Alexander-Arnold produced a another example of his set-piece quality by scoring a sublime free-kick on the seventh minute before Mo Salah doubled the lead early in the second half from the penalty spot.

 

Another player under the spotlight after his big money move in the summer has been Darwin Nunez. While the Uruguayan did not get his name.on the scoresheet, his all-round performance was full of promise and on another evening he would have scored a couple at least.

 

Speaking after the victory (per the Official site), Klopp was very happy with the way that the game transpired.

 

“Good game – actually the game we wanted to play. A really good defensive performance in a new structure. Offensively, [we] created an awful lot without using, Rangers' goalie made a couple of really nice saves and we missed some others. 

 

“But I liked it a lot. The two goals we scored were really nice. OK, one is a penalty but the move from Lucho for the pen was really good and we played good in these areas. And the free-kick from Trent was outstanding, a wonderful goal. What can I say? I would now say, 'It's Trent!', but it's long ago that he last scored a free-kick, so I am happy he had this still in his locker."

 

 

(Regarding the performance.of Nunez) “You can just see how good a striker he is to be constantly in these situations. I think everybody saw tonight that this [scoring goals] will happen, so all good”

 

For a team which has been as consistently good as Liverpool over the years, it has been a uncharacteristically below par start to the new campaign leading to questions if this squad is showing signs of decline.

 

Klopp has heard the doubters and while knowing that there are many challenges ahead, believes that this is a good first step.

 

 

“I can't wait for the moment when I can read newspapers again because I didn't read them for weeks! I don't know what's happening in the world, to be honest – I know the big news, the bad news. I have no clue but the criticism is completely fine.

 

“We are not over the moon about our situation, let me say it is like this. We played here some really good games – it's not like 10 years ago, it's not too long ago – and Champions League nights at Liverpool are always quite enjoyable usually.

 

“That's what happened tonight again. That we were really up, I don't think it had too much to do with the situation. The game gave us this job to do. But that's how I said, I saw tonight a team fully committed – that's what you saw obviously as well – and that's what I liked a lot and that's what we have to do.”

 

The manager also addressed the slight alteration to the defensive set-up, saying that it was more to do with Liverpool themselves rather than their opponents on the evening.

 

“It had a little bit to do with the game, but not too much – it was for us. We wanted to defend differently to what we usually do; if you have seen us for a few years now, if somebody was criticising us for defending, it was more [people] talking about a high line. 

 

“Then people created now, when we were in a defensive pressing situation, they created a lot of chances, that's rare. It was rare, but happened more. That's why we set it up slightly different, closed different gaps.”