Jurgen Klopp has admitted Liverpool only had themselves to blame after falling to a late defeat at home to struggling Leeds United on Saturday night.
A mixture of a misplaced Joe Gomez backpass and an Alisson Becker slip gifted Rodrigo the easiest of early openers for Jesse Marsch’s side. And although Mohamed Salah levelled the scores, the below-par Reds were left to rue missed opportunities as Crysencio Summerville snatched a last-gasp victory for the Peacocks.
Speaking to reporters after the game, Klopp conceded that Liverpool simply ‘can’t defend like that’ if they are to stand any chance of winning matches and turning around their fortunes.
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“Good start to the game, liked it, energetic like we should have,” the German said when reflecting on the game. “Then we conceded an early freakish goal, nearly an own goal.
“Not helpful but we can equalise off the set-piece. Then a normal first half, with some good moments, bit unlucky and put them under pressure with a lot of set-pieces and corners.
“Half-time, we were telling the boys again where are the areas where we can cause them more problems. How we can adapt positioning-wise, because in the centre Leeds were very compact and the wings were a weak part.
“It’s where we created in the first half, we put them under pressure not with free-flowing football but the boys really tried. We had two big chances which we don’t use, that means the game is still open.
“Then we concede a second goal where it’s obvious you can’t defend it like that, it’s clear. A two v one situation on the wing but no challenge, for a second three v one but no challenge, they pass the ball through and we outnumber them but all of a sudden it’s two v one in the box and the ball is in the goal and Leeds win. That’s it pretty much.”
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