In the 2-0 victory over Union SG, Jurgen Klopp acknowledged that his rotated team wasn’t at their best, but he also took the time to highlight the positives.
Here are the manager’s five main observations following his team’s triumph on Thursday night:
not enough “rhythm”
The manager cited “the start and the result” as two aspects of the performance that gave him hope despite Liverpool being far from their best on Thursday night.
He expressed less admiration for how his team “lost rhythm” in the beginning and added, “We know we can do better.”
compliments for Gravenberch
Liverpool’s goal scorer Ryan Gravenberch (R) shakes hands with manager Jürgen Klopp as he is replaced during the UEFA Europa League Group E matchday 2 match between Liverpool FC and Union SG at Anfield on Thursday, October 5, 2023. (Propaganda image by David Rawcliffe)
Ryan Gravenberch scored his first goal for Liverpool in a standout performance against Union SG, and the manager was obviously pleased with his early development.
Klopp insisted, “It is clearly evident what a talent he is; he’s loving the situation, which is extremely essential; he’s gradually gaining the confidence, and that’s really wonderful to witness.
“It’s really helpful that everything moves in the right direction.”
Tottenham previously
Klopp made headlines earlier this week when he said that the loss to Tottenham should be replayed, but he was keen to correct the record as far as the focus is concerned.
“I think everyone who was here heard what I said, but everybody obviously understood something else, but that’s OK,” he stated in jest.
“From a focus standpoint, it was not difficult to focus on the game since we are not kids and only had a few questions to answer.”
Wataru Endo’s substitution at halftime caused some controversy, although the manager explained that the decision was “always” part of the strategy.
At halftime, the Japan captain was replaced along with Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez.
After Jarrell Quansah’s “really good” European debut, Klopp singled him out for praise, saying he was “not in doubt” that he was up to the challenge of facing the Union SG strikers.
The manager acknowledged that selecting the center-back for his starting lineup was “not a difficult decision” and predicted that he “will get minutes” going forward.
He is a really excellent footballer, and Klopp continued, “It is a joy to watch his development since he is properly with us. On the ball, he is outstanding.”
