Klopp sympathises with Leicester’s Faes after two own goals gift Liverpool win

Dec 31 (Reuters) – Liverpool boss Juergen Klopp said he had nothing but sympathy for Leicester City defender Wout Faes who had a nightmare in defence when the Belgian’s two own goals gave the Anfield club a 2-1 victory on Friday.

Faes miscued a clearance which looped over the keeper and into his own goal to give Liverpool an equaliser before scoring another comical own goal at the stroke of halftime when he failed to react in time as the ball came off the post.

The two own goals consigned Leicester to a second defeat in as many games despite taking the lead at Anfield in the fourth minute.

“I had that once in my career where a player scored two own goals and I really feel for him,” Klopp said.

“The first one was absolutely unlucky. How can it be more unlucky? Then the second one, if you play football, you go full speed, you expect the ball to go in. That’s what your brain tells you and when it hits the post, you cannot react.

“Of course, I feel sympathy, there is space for that but whatever I say now will not change that. But the boy will get through this, Brendan (Rodgers) will help him and everything will be fine.”

Leicester remained in 13th place as a result but manager Rodgers refused to pin the blame on Faes, saying the 24-year-old was rusty having not played a single minute at the World Cup in Qatar.

“Since he has been with us he has been absolutely brilliant. He normally makes the right decisions. It was just freakish and he has been unfortunate with the second one also,” Rodgers said.

“He has been at the World Cup but didn’t play a minute, so it might take him a few games to get his rhythm back. He has shown the level he can get to.

“Tonight was unfortunate for him but I thought he responded brilliantly in the second half.”

Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Kim Coghill

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