Klopp: “Ali Will Sleep Pretty Well Tonight”

Football really is a game of “what have you done lately?”, three successive defeats, a plethora of injuries, and everyone forget about the excellence Liverpool FC have displayed over the past half-decade or so. It’s especially so for Alisson Becker, whose usually safe hands and judgement escaped him in successive games. Thankfully, the Brazilian goalkeeper was back to his best in the first leg of the round of sixteen Champions League tie against RB Leipzig, coming up big against a dangerous RB Leipzig team despite a few shaky moments with the ball at his feet. A big save against Christopher Nkunku early in the second half ensured that the game stayed goalless before Mo Salah and Sadio Mane took us home.

Jürgen Klopp was understandably, quite delighted:

He had big moments in the Leicester game too, he made brilliant saves in that game, but of course it will help. A clean sheet and Ali will sleep pretty well on the plane on the way home. Ali has helped us a lot.

He also was pleased with the way the team has bounced back from the recent touch stretch:

I think people expected us to slip tonight. I’m pretty sure people thought ’That will be really tricky for Liverpool’. It was difficult but we did it. I don’t believe in motivating too much in this manner, yes we can use this from time to time, but we don’t have enough contact with the outside world to really know how much people wish us to fail.

But it’s clear - Liverpool playing Leipzig; the chances we had to win the game dropped minute by minute in peoples’ perception. That’s fine. I would probably have said the same if I wasn’t that close to the team. But the boys reacted in a really good way and I’m very happy about that.”

Hopefully, Liverpool will build on this and end the season on a high note.