Jürgen Klopp seemed torn between defiance and anxiety after a 1-1 draw at Newcastle United left his Liverpool side in seventh place, seven points behind the leaders, Manchester City.
“We should have won,” Klopp said. “We were the better side and created more chances but you know we have a real problem because we have to play better next game, otherwise we will not get a point.”
After a wonderful Philippe Coutinho goal gave Liverpool the lead, Joselu equalised for Newcastle when Klopp’s centre-halves, Dejan Lovren and Joel Matip, allowed a through-ball from the excellent Jonjo Shelvey to bisect them.
“It was a good pass for Newcastle’s goal, at the right moment,” Klopp, whose side have won one just of their past seven games in all competitions, said. “For me it looked like the centre-halves didn’t see the ball with Shelvey because two or three players are in front of them.
“If they see it they have to make a step and Joselu is offside. In the end it is unlucky.”
Liverpool’s manager felt luck had quite a bit to do with the result and remains confident his is about to turn. “We are in very promising situations and we don’t score. That, of course, is a problem but it will not stay like this. I know, I am long enough around football.
Better side
“There are different ways to get one win in seven. You can play really bad and lose a lot of games or you play more than a few games really, really good. Most of the games actually we were the better side but a few chances are enough for the opponent to score and we need a lot more and in the end we have had the same number of goals. That happens too often in the last few weeks, of course.
“The boys will go away and we all feel not perfect in that moment and by the way the main problem is not only that football is not fair, people write about it and the boys read it and it makes it even worse. You have a point but it feels like you have lost.”
Not that he agrees confidence has been dented. “I have not seen a drop in confidence from the players,” the manager said. “It is our duty to be confident because the boys have the quality.”
Frustrated
Klopp was frustrated by two particular misses from the disappointing Daniel Sturridge and the impressive Mohamed Salah but said such misses would be corrected. “What is my job? Say, ‘Mo, don’t do that next time and Daniel please have a look next time’? They know that and they will do that next time.
“We have our hard moment now but other teams will have their hard moment. We need to work on our thing and I really think it looks like we are not far away from a real challenge. If we do what we are good at, we don’t have to think about other teams and we will close the gap.”
Rafael Benítez was considerably happier with a point against the club he led to Champions League glory.
“Against a team like Liverpool you have to be happy,” he said. “The lads did a great job and maybe with a bit more composure on the ball we could have scored another goal.”
Focused
He was particularly pleased with Shelvey. “Jonjo has the quality on the ball, I told him before the game, you know how to play football, you just have to work hard and keep your head focused.”
Told that Klopp thought Newcastle should have lost, he turned diplomatic. “Sometimes you get what you deserve, sometimes you don’t. We have got a point at home, which isn’t the best, but against one of the top teams you take it.” Guardian service
