Klopp Talk: “A Really Top Performance From The Start”

After an unsteady start to the season and a dreadful winter, Liverpool seem to be rounding into form. We’ve seen signs of life these past week, with fewer mistakes on the defensive end, and some sweeping moves in the attack. While performances had been good, they hadn’t been “vintage Liverpool (from last season)” good. That was until Liverpool hosted Manchester United and drubbed their rivals 7-0.

After the match, Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp was understandably chuffed with the result and the performance over all.

Freak result, top performance. A really top performance from the start, I thought the way we started the game was really special, the best for a long, long, long, long, long, long time. We were there, we were aggressive but we played football. We were calm in the right moments, super lively, super active in other moments and after 25 minutes it opened up a bit. United came a bit better into the game but the the late goal before half-time was a sensational goal: what Robbo is doing there, cutting inside and is then really calm – what we were actually asking for, that in these moments we have to give ourselves time to get into the right position – and then Cody realized it early enough that Robbo wants to pass the ball there and a super finish. Second half starts, I don’t think the second half could start better with the two goals we forced there pretty much and from that moment on the boys were flying. Then it was really difficult to play against us and how I said, the performance is important, three points is even more important, and the result is just the result.

In a season where many players have struggled for form and fitness, it was really nice to see top performances from players who have been maligned at times. The new-look front three of Núñez, Gakpo, and Salah were lethal in front of goal, and looked by far the most in synch with each other than we’ve seen thus far. Meanwhile, Liverpool’s midfield played in and around Manchester United with ease, and amped up the press to regain possession high up the pitch. Klopp was very happy with the performances he saw from those players.

It was one of the best performances for a long, long time. In a way I think everybody saw how good the boys can be. I think nobody was in doubt about Darwin’s future impact when he settles because he is a real force of nature, Cody plays in the most difficult area of the pitch against a man-marking side which is super-tricky, but how he keeps himself on his feet there and has the overview of everybody else, Mo is Mo, midfielders around. Harvey played a top game the other night against Wolves, had the highest counter-pressing outcome of any player in the Premier League this season so if that is not a qualification for starting again then I don’t know one, to be honest, and is for us super-important on the ball as well. Hendo didn’t start the last game, what a performance tonight, absolutely incredible, and Fab is back. Last line is in a better moment as well so it’s like it has to be. How I said, we have to make these results count with the result of the next game. That’s what we try.