Jurgen Klopp provided an enthusiastic but balanced assessment of his side’s 2-0 victory over Burnley in his post-match press conference.
Here are five key points from the manager as he reflected on the win at Turf Moor…
Tricky circumstances
Klopp showed plenty of respect for Tuesday night’s hosts, insisting he was pleased with his side’s performance in what was a “really intense” environment.
He described his side’s showing as “exceptional” and insisted that his side “deserved to win the game” on the balance of proceedings.
Wasted opportunities
Liverpool wrapped up all three points in the dying moments, but the boss admitted his side “should have scored more” during the contest.
He did concede that the officiating decisions didn’t help, hinting that “different reasons” were at play to prevent his side from adding more names to the scoresheet.
Klopp did insist that he wasn’t “frustrated” by the missed chances, instead choosing to focus on the “well-deserved” victory from his side.
Jota’s return
Fans were hailing the return of Diogo Jota from injury after he sealed all three points with his late strike, but the manager was quick to point out that he isn’t the solitary answer in front of goal.
“I love Diogo Jota, but he has missed chances in the past as well,” said the boss when asked about the importance of the Portuguese forward in his team.
“The nature of the thing is that we think the players who are not involved can change the world.
“Diogo is an incredibly important player for us having him change the whole dynamic, that’s true.”
Still early days
The win moved the Reds to the top of the Premier League table, but the manager is refusing to get carried away.
He sarcastically remarked “I cannot keep my arms down” when asked about his side’s position, but did describe picking up 42 points at this stage of the season as “really pleasing.”
Klopp called his team’s placement within “punching distance” of Arsenal should they beat West Ham on Thursday, but is keeping a level head as far as the standings are concerned.
Endo praise
Wataru Endo has been a revelation at the base of midfield for the Reds in recent weeks, and Klopp was beaming in his praise for the Japan captain.
“What a boy, and what a player,” were the manager’s words when asked about Endo’s recent displays.
“It took a little bit for him to show how good he really is, but now we can see and I’m really happy about that.”
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