Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp insists his side delivered the important message that no one will get rid of them in the Premier League title race after victory over Burnley.
The Reds overcame testing conditions, including a controversial opening goal from Ashley Westwood, to run out 4-2 winners, leaving them just a point off the top after Manchester City had opened up a four-point lead on Saturday.
“We have only to make sure that we stay in the really interesting competition on top of the table,” said Klopp.
"Our message for today is that nobody gets rid of us if we play as we played today, because we had the perfect mixture of fighting the opponent, fighting the circumstances and playing football. That was really good, I liked it."— Liverpool FC (@LFC) March 10, 2019
“The message from today is that nobody gets rid of us, if we play as we played today.
“We had the perfect mixture of fighting the opponent, fighting the circumstances and playing football. That was really good and I liked it.
“We have no problem with confidence. We didn’t have a problem after the Everton game (a goalless draw last Sunday).
“You (the media) make a big fuss if we score five, then we are the best attacking side in the world, and we score nil and then we have an offensive problem.
Liverpool collect all three points to move one behind top spot in the #PL#LIVBURpic.twitter.com/SKodpszmsG— Premier League (@premierleague) March 10, 2019
“Today Mo Salah for me was the best player on the pitch and he didn’t score.
“I am not sure you will see that in a lot of ratings, because he’s a striker and he didn’t score, but we have no problem with confidence. We are in a good moment.
“Most of the things are not that interesting to us.”
Westwood’s goal direct from a corner was allowed to stand despite James Tarkowski appearing to foul goalkeeper Alisson Becker.
“Usually it would have been disallowed, if the ref had a better view, I don’t know exactly. I saw the first moment it is a foul, and then I saw the pictures, you cannot treat the goalie like this,” was Klopp’s view.
Burnley boss Sean Dyche was less convinced, however.
“I don’t know how it’s judged any more. Are you allowed to touch anyone, are you not allowed to touch anyone? A tough call,” he said.
Liverpool midfielder Adam Lallana, making only his fifth start of the season was a key player, not only regarding his side’s first two goals for Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane, but in the match as a whole.
10 – Roberto Firmino has now scored 10+ goals in all four of his Premier League seasons with @LFC, the best 100% such record of any player for the club in the competition. Consistency. #LIVBURpic.twitter.com/zwmxkSr2DB— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 10, 2019
Firmino and Mane scored again in the second half, the latter seconds after Johan Berg Gudmundsson had pulled one back in added time.
“I said at the beginning of the week that it is possible (for players) to show up. When we play a lot of times with 12, 13, 14 players, so it’s important that the boys know that,” added Klopp.
“Adam used that. It is not only Adam, but especially. It was clear; if he can play like he trained, then he will help us a lot and that is exactly how it happened.
“He is always good on the ball but he is a pretty aggressive boy as well. The counter-press is a game-changer. It’s a brilliant thing in that moment.
REACTION | "You can't give away errors like we did today, three out of the four, definitely, are errors" – SD— Burnley FC (@BurnleyOfficial) March 10, 2019
“It didn’t look really promising until Adam jumped in, so well done, (I’m) really pleased for him. (He) really deserves all the praise he got.”
A third-successive defeat left Dyche annoyed at the manner of the goals they conceded.
“Frustrated. You can’t give away three if not four of the goals, certainly not when you are playing sides of this quality,” he said.
“We can’t keep making those mistakes because the first goal was important to them.”
