Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp sees small step forward in being hard to beat
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Liverpool's Mohamed Salah (left) in action with Chelsea's Marc Cucurella as the teams drew 0-0 in London.
PHOTO: Reuters
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LONDON – Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said his side’s 0-0 draw at Chelsea on Tuesday was “a little step in the right direction” after a 4-1 drubbing by Manchester City last weekend and offered hope for Sunday’s home match against league leaders Arsenal.
“Each success starts with being difficult to beat, and we have to be difficult to beat again,” the German said after his much-changed team survived an early onslaught by Chelsea, who sacked manager Graham Potter just three days ago.
“If we are difficult to beat against Arsenal, we can win this game. If not, Arsenal will just go over us.”
Klopp made six changes, with the likes of Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk (sick) and Trent Alexander-Arnold dropping out of the starting team who lost against Manchester City on Saturday, including three defenders which he said represented “a real challenge” for his players.
Big-spending Chelsea dominated much of the Stamford Bridge encounter but kept squandering opportunities, with Joao Felix, Mateo Kovacic and Kai Havertz guilty of missing gilt-edged chances.
The goalless stalemate was the fourth in a row between the two teams and Klopp admitted that it paled in comparison to the FA Cup and League Cup finals between Liverpool and Chelsea last season (which his side won on penalties after 0-0 draws in both instances), but praised his team for fixing the problems.
“This was not the most spectacular 0-0 I ever saw. I saw two of them last year between Liverpool and Chelsea in the two finals – it was insane,” he said.
“Very similar teams tonight but completely different football because of a completely different level of confidence for both teams. This was the way we had to fight again, the way we have to start again our development. A little step in the right direction.”
Former Reds defender Jamie Carragher was bemused by Klopp’s fixation on deploying the same tactics, which have not yielded the results as seasons before. Liverpool have amassed just 43 points from 28 matches – 23 points lower than after the same number of fixtures last season.
They are in eighth place, seven points adrift of fourth spot, and have 10 Premier League fixtures remaining this season to try and qualify for Europe.
“Liverpool still play the same way. The same idea is there but they cannot do it,” Carragher told Sky Sports. “Klopp is a great manager but, even tonight, Liverpool are trying to play like the Liverpool of three years ago... The big thing is how easy it is for the opposition to get chances – that is the worry for me.”
Chelsea also have a huge concern to address, with the Blues scoring a paltry tally of 29 goals in 29 league games this season – the third-worst total at this stage of the campaign since 1921-22 (23) and 1923-24 (16).
“Yes, we created enough chances to win the game, two goals disallowed. The boys gave everything, they played with their heart and you can’t ask for more,” said interim coach Bruno Saltor.
“We just need to keep helping the boys. They have been through a lot as well. It’s been a tough season for them.”
However, it might not be the Spaniard’s role to resolve the Blues’ profligacy after the British media reported that former Spain and Barcelona coach Luis Enrique is in London to hold talks with Chelsea.
The Blues are looking for their third manager of the campaign after Thomas Tuchel was fired by their American owners in September before Potter’s dismissal after just 31 games in charge.
Chelsea are languishing in 11th spot in the Premier League, with a crucial Champions League quarter-final tie against Real Madrid looming.
The club are set to assess up to seven candidates, including Enrique, who won the treble with Barcelona in 2014-15. REUTERS
