Klopp tells Arsenal: ‘Anfield is waiting’; Chelsea draw ‘a step in the right direction’ for Liverpool
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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp believes Tuesday’s 0-0 draw at Chelsea was “a step in the right direction” after the 4-1 loss against Manchester City.
The Reds took the lead at City thanks to Mohamed Salah but Pep Guardiola’s side rallied from behind to emphatically win to keep the pressure on league leaders Arsenal.
Despite Chelsea’s woeful form, a trip to Stamford Bridge was always going to be tricky given their own difficulties on the pitch and Liverpool were definitely second best and fortunate not to lose on Tuesday night.
Man City made light work of Liverpool
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Chelsea had two goals disallowed and the draw leaves them in the bottom half of the Premier League.
Although his side were lucky to draw, Klopp – who made six changes from the starting XI that lost at City – believes his team ‘fought’ and took “a step in the right direction”.
“Both teams played last year in two finals, two of the best 0-0s I ever saw,” Klopp said. “Today it was two teams low on confidence but really fighting.
“We’re fine with a point, a lot of good stuff. We showed a lot of fight. We have to keep going.
“We struggled with the last line in the beginning but changed three times. The balls in behind were tricky but then we recovered well.
“We got better into the game. The midfield was well connected. We had our opportunities up front. It was not spectacular. It was a step. That’s what we have to do – make steps. Sometimes smaller steps.
“We need to have these chances. You need to keep having chances. I’m not disappointed about that. They scored twice but both goals were disallowed.
“I didn’t expect a team with six changes to play the best game of the season. The boys who came in used their opportunity and showed they were ready.
“We cannot talk about the goals we have if we don’t get points. We don’t give up, we will fight. We can talk a lot but we have to show. We saw a step in the right direction tonight.
“Some needed a rest.”
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On whether he has had a season like this before, Klopp replied: “No, thank God. I wouldn’t be manager of Liverpool if I had a couple of these seasons.
“We have to get through it. That’s how life is. You have to fight to change your fortunes.”
On facing Arsenal on Sunday, the German manager said: “At home our record is not as bad as way so we showed tonight we show we really care and we really wan it.
“Anfield is waiting for us and we want to deliver.”
Klopp also confirmed that defender Virgil van Dijk will be fit to face the Gunners after he missed the trip to Chelsea through illness.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. He was ill but until the weekend we have a few days,” he said.
Reds captain Jordan Henderson says he hopes the “flashes of brilliance” his side have shown at times this season will be on display when they host league leaders Arsenal this weekend.
“Tough game, both sides not at the highest level at the minute,” Henderson said. “We made a fight of it.
“You could see the willingness to keep running and keep working. The last pass and last shot wasn’t quite there, but we have to take the point and move on.
“They’ve got some good players with individual quality and we kept digging in. We had to show fight really.
“Yeah, it’s hard to judge it straight after the game but it was a positive to work for each other. We lacked quality in the final third.
“A clean sheet away at Chelsea is never easy. We’ve got to take that positive and try to work and try to build and finish goals off.
“The inconsistency of the season hasn’t helped us, you’ve just got to keep working and stay together as a group.
“At the end, you’ve got to dig in. We got a point today. On another day you might miss it. That’s football at the end of the day. You keep working and we have to see where it takes us come the end of the season.
“There’s been flashes of brilliance over the season but not enough consistency. There’s lots of reasons for that.
“What’s important is that you stay together, you stay positive. We’ve got to keep fighting until the end. That’s the aim and that’s the plan and it all starts off with the basis of the attitude and desire.
“It’s another opportunity to try and show the brilliance again on Sunday at Anfield.”
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