MY ACCOUNT
Jurgen Klopp saluted the patience and desire demonstrated by Liverpool during their 3-0 win over Brentford.
Goals from Fabinho, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Takumi Minamino lifted the Reds above Chelsea to reach second place in the Premier League table.
Despite enjoying 74 per cent of possession and registering 12 shots before the break, Klopp’s side had to be patient for the breakthrough against stubborn opponents at Anfield.
It arrived just before half-time as Fabinho headed in from Trent Alexander-Arnold’s corner, and they pressed home their advantage after the break with two goals in eight minutes to seal the points.
Klopp was pleased by the way his players were able to adapt to the challenges posed by the Bees.
“It’s extremely uncomfortable to play against Brentford, to be honest,” Klopp told BBC Sport. “They usually play differently, but the way they play against us is really difficult.
“There were so many moments where the ball was in the air and the moment it was on the ground, we had to start playing football.
“It was not always fluent, but that’s how it is very often – the set-pieces can be the opener. That was the case today. We could have scored maybe before, but then the next two goals were outstanding.
“You need patience. You cannot lose focus or get sloppy. You have to stay full of desire even when you don’t find direction. We had to switch sides, play it quick and all these kinds of things. We really controlled it in the second half.”
Fabinho got the ball rolling with his third goal in as many games, having netted twice in the FA Cup win over Shrewsbury Town last weekend.
“We needed these three points and a good performance, so it was nice to do it in front of our fans,” the Brazilian midfielder said. “It will be good to grow our confidence.
“It’s always nice to score here at Anfield. When I can help the team in the offensive part of the pitch, it’s always important for me as well.
“The team played really well with the ball. We created a lot of opportunities to score. It is a chance for everybody to show their quality and step up. We did that today.”
