Jurgen Klopp coy on Liverpool's defensive weakness

Liverpool 2 West Brom 1: Defence - or, rather, the lack of a brilliant one - would appear, at present, to be the one thing standing between Liverpool and their first league title in 27 years although their manager Jurgen Klopp refuses to accept that theory.

Needing a win by two clear goals to move above Arsenal into first place, Liverpool’s brilliant attacking play moved them into that position through first half efforts from Sadio Mane and Philippe Coutinho.

But, nine minutes from time, a Chris Brunt corner saw the home defence allow defenders Craig Dawson and Gareth McAuley to get touches on the ball inside the six-yard box, the latter controlling it before volleying past keeper Loris Karius who was notable by his absence.

It was the sort of defending that better teams than West Brom - and there are many in this division - will punish more severely and frequently.

Yet, on the anniversary of Klopp’s first Anfield game as manager, the German showed far greater defensive instincts than his own players did as he analysed their shortcomings.

“Really, I’ve heard this a few times and I lose respect when people say this,” said Klopp when asked about the criticisms levelled at his defence and whether he was able to laugh them off.

“It’s not important because I don’t have to respect everybody and you can say what you want but I cannot say more.

“I’m not interested so why should I laugh about something when I am not interested. I’m the first who knows it and we work on it?

“I’m the coach of this team, I’m pretty close to them. I see all the games from a quite a good perspective. I understand all of this and we will see at the end.

“If people say we have some issues with set pieces how can I say they are wrong. I think 70-80 per cent of the goals we have conceded are from set pieces. But they are all different and we are still working on it and we defended against United brilliantly, and tonight it was so difficult - but we have no defensive problem.”

Klopp, such an unfailingly interesting interviewee, does have a testier side that is not always apparent when he is in full charm mode before the TV cameras.

And, certainly, further interrogation about his team’s defensive frailties succeed only in raising his hackles. Klopp may argue otherwise, in order to be seen to be publicly supporting all his playing staff, but surely the manner of that - and other - opposition goals should be a cause for major concern?

“It’s good that people can talk about some things. Do you believe that we work on it?” snapped Klopp.

“It is not the same problem we had last year. I like it more that they create chances whenever they want because we defend like crazy. I’m fine with this for the moment but only for the moment.

“For tonight I don’t care how we conceded, as we won.”

Klopp’s counterpart Tony Pulis has made an art form out of excusing his team’s poor results based on their comparative lack of resources and here was no exception, the Albion manager exaggerating the amount of money spent by the opposition in order to disguise his own shortcomings.

However, with the ownership uncertainty clarified at his club, Pulis can at least finally talk about Albion’s future with a degree of optimism.

“Liverpool are as good as anything we have played against, probably the most difficult test we have had so far,” he said. “Their front five, the movement is outstanding.

“Their rotation around the ball, and around that forward player is excellent, and their interchanging is impressive. They’ve spent £200m on those three or four front players, it’s not bad is it.

“But it’s now a new era for us. I think there’s good things going on and the chairman has been very, very good. He came to the game last week and is coming to the Man City game as well. There are things happening, but I don’t want to start talk about getting any more funds, people will be asking for too much money.”

LIVERPOOL (4-3-3):

Karius 6; Clyne 7, Matip 8, Lovren 6, Milner 7; Can 7, Henderson 7, Lallana 7 ( Wijnaldum 79, 6); Mane 7, Firmino 7, Coutinho 9 (Lucas 88).

Substitutes (not used) Mignolet, Sturridge, Klavan, Moreno, Origi.

WEST BROM (4-2-3-1):

Foster 8; Dawson 6, McAuley 6, Olsson 7, Nyom 5; Fletcher 7, Yacob 5 (Brunt 46, 7); Phillips 5 (Morrison 50, 5), Chadli 7, McClean 5 (Robson-Kanu 64, 6); Rondon 6.

Substitutes (not used) Myhill, Galloway, Gardner, Leko.

Referee:

Neil Swarbrick