I expected worse from Liverpool, says Klopp
worse display from his side in their 0-0 Premier
League draw with Southampton on Saturday.
The visitors were short of their best at St Mary's
Stadium, with Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino,
Philippe Coutinho and Nathaniel Clyne all guilty
of missing good chances to snatch a victory.
The result keeps Liverpool ahead of Manchester
City at the top of the table on goal difference,
but they will be overtaken by Chelsea should
Antonio Conte's side beat Middlesbrough on
Sunday.
Klopp, however, was content with his players'
application given the difficulty in preparing for a
match at the end of an international break.
"Two things are really important when you play
football: the result and the performance" he told
a media conference. "The result is not perfect,
but the performance was much better than we
could have expected, when we think about our
preparation for the game.
"It was not bad first half, much better second
half. It was a really good performance against a
side that are difficult to play against.
Southampton are one of the best organised
teams in the league. I think they adapted their
style a little bit to our strength.
"We had enough chances to win the game,
particularly in the second half. The reaction in
the second half was really good, the body
language was better.
"I'm fine with the performance, absolutely. We
could have scored, maybe we should have
scored, but football is like this.
"Very often in my life I have lost games like this,
when you are so much better and have many
more chances. But we didn't because we stayed
concentrated, and that's very important, maybe
the most important thing for us.
"Everybody could see this season that on a very
good day we are able to score fantastic goals.
But today was much more different for many
reasons. And even then, to stay in the game is
the best news we can get.
"I'm not happy, but I'm fine."
Klopp also insisted that there was no risk in
starting Coutinho, despite the midfielder having
returned from Brazil duty with a hamstring
complaint.
"Phil had no big problem, as everybody could see
today," Klopp added. "We would not have taken
a risk if he had, one hundred per cent not.
"Three things are important to me; what the
doctor says, what the scan says and what the
player says. And all three gave the thumbs up,
so we let him run."
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