Jurgen Klopp admits Liverpool will have to tighten up at the back against Leicester after letting in three against RB Salzburg on Wednesday night. Thankfully for the Reds they were 3-0 up at the time and still went on to win the Champions League group game 4-3, and Klopp insists he was not overly concerned after squandering a three-goal lead.
Liverpool raced into a commanding lead with goals from Sadio Mane, Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah inside 36 minutes but Hee-Chan Hwang pulled one back for the Austrian outfit just before half-time.
Takumi Minamino set nerves jangling 10 minutes after the break and when substitute Erling Braut Haaland scored his 18th of the season four minutes after coming on, it appeared the European champions’ homecoming would fall flat.
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However, Salah took his tally to 12 in 13 Anfield Champions League appearances to secure a first victory in Group E.
Rather than criticise his players, Klopp took the positives and says it took great character from his side to keep calm before going on to get the winner. He also remained calm himself as he knew they would create further chances to get the winner, and they did.
Liverpool conceded three goals for the first time since their Champions League semi-final first leg against Barcelona in the Nou Camp last season and only the second time in all competitions since losing to Real Madrid in the 2018 final.
With third-placed Leicester arriving at Anfield on Saturday, Klopp knows his players have to fix the problem and tighten up, or they could drop their first Premier League points of the season. “I am sure Brendan Rodgers thinks if we defend like we did tonight then probably Jamie Vardy will run five times alone with the goalkeeper,” Klopp said.
“It was a very important lesson for us tonight. We will learn but we have to learn quick. I knew before that we have to improve a lot but now everybody knows it probably.”
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