MY ACCOUNT
Jurgen Klopp hailed an “adult performance” from Liverpool after they claimed a 2-0 win over Inter at San Siro.
The Reds were far from at their sparkling best in the first leg of the sides’ Champions League last-16 tie but still carved out an aggregate advantage thanks to late goals from Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah.
And Klopp was delighted to see his team prove once again that they can pick up results from games where they do not find top gear.
He told BT Sport; “We had to fight. We started really well, played around their formation in the beginning, but then the direct play with the switches to the wing-backs we didn’t defend too well.
“Too often our full-backs were alone in the one-on-one situation, it doesn’t work properly like that.
“In a game like this you have to keep the ball longer and that’s what didn’t happen long enough.
“But you cannot come here and hope that you have a brilliant day and that’s the only chance to get a result.
“We had not a brilliant day but a good enough day to be a deserved win. We scored two wonderful goals, yes they had their moments [and] counter-attacks, but mainly counter-attacks when we lost the ball in the wrong spaces.
“It’s another adult performance and I’m really happy about that.”
The only downside for the visitors on a successful night was the half-time loss of the prolific Diogo Jota to an ankle injury.
Of that blow, Klopp said: “I’m really happy with everything apart from that Diogo had to go off with something around the ankle ligament, we will see.
“We don’t know exactly, he could play on, and that’s maybe a good sign, but at half-time the ankle was swollen anyway, so we had to change.”
However, the German was able to strike a more positive note when discussing his substitutes, who played a key role in Liverpool’s strong finish to the game.
He continued: “That was perfect, how the boys reacted.
“All of them want to start but, coming on, all my respect for Hendo’s [Jordan Henderson’s] performance today and Naby [Keita], who came on, and Luis [Diaz] is so natural so that helps as well.
“That was all very helpful and at half-time when you can bring Bobby Firmino on.”
