Klopp happy with winning 'dirty' as Reds seek revival
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Liverpool forward Diogo Jota scoring the only goal as the Reds beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 away in the Premier League on Monday. The Reds moved to sixth in the standings.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
LONDON • Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said he had no problem with winning "three dirty points" as Diogo Jota returned to haunt Wolverhampton Wanderers with the only goal in a 1-0 win at Molineux on Monday.
A wretched run of six successive Premier League home defeats has left the Reds with an uphill task to qualify for the Champions League next season.
But Klopp's men have now won six of their last seven games in all competitions away from Anfield and victory moved the English champions back up to sixth spot and within five points of fourth-placed Chelsea (51).
"It's all about the result," said Klopp. "It was a big fight. We won three dirty points, I am completely fine with that. We need that to get back on track.
"The building and the creation was good and the players had a good game. A lot of things to improve but a positive attitude showed we can compete."
A disappointing night for Wolves ended with a bigger concern as goalkeeper Rui Patricio had to be stretchered off after 15 minutes of treatment for a head injury following a collision with teammate Conor Coady in the closing stages.
It was a case of deja vu for the 13th-placed hosts, who have already been badly affected by a serious head injury this season.
Their top scorer for the past two seasons, Raul Jimenez, has been out since fracturing his skull against Arsenal in November with no timeframe set for his return.
However, Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo allayed fears over Patricio's health.
"He's OK. He's conscious, he remembers what happens, he's aware, so they tell me he's OK," the Portuguese said.
"It was a collision with the knee of Coady on the head. We have spoken already. All these situations when it is the head get us worried. He is going to recover."
The absence of Jimenez means Nuno's men have missed Jota even more since he joined the Reds for £41 million (S$76.3 million) last September.
The Portugal forward has also been missed by Liverpool for the past three months due to a knee injury that halted his flying start to life at Anfield.
But Jota, who grabbed his 10th goal in all competitions, is hopeful his return can inspire a strong end to the season to secure Champions League football next term either via a top-four place or by winning the team's seventh European Cup.
"Hopefully, this can be a great start of a run towards the end of the season," he said.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS
