Pressure not rising after Pool losses, insists Klopp
LIVERPOOL manager Jurgen Klopp insists their FA Cup fifthround tie at Chelsea does not take on any more significance despite two defeats in three matches.
Watford brought an end to their 44-match Premier League unbeaten run at the weekend and, with a loss to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League two games previously, there has been a small stutter in the Reds’ imperious form this season.
They remain, however, in the hunt for a treble, with the next leg a last-16 tie at Stamford Bridge which will probably attract more scrutiny than it would do otherwise as to how the players respond.
That may depend on the side Klopp puts out, as he has fielded a number of fringe players in cup ties this season, but the manager insists the fixture is no more important and has not been tempted to alter his thinking on it.
“The defeat has nothing to do with the line-up tomorrow night,” he said.
“Do we want to win the game more because we lost the last one? I don’t know because we want to win games constantly.
“This is the most important game we have at the moment because it is the only one we play and we have to win it if we want to go through.
“It will not be easier for us because we lost the last game and so there will be more motivation.
“We never really think about the pressure or whatever. We are Liverpool, we always have to deliver. We play at Chelsea but everyone expects us to win.
“It is not less pressure than before, it is just the last-16 of the FA Cup and we want to go through, and hopefully everyone can see that.”
Asked whether the end of their unbeaten league record could have a destabilising effect, Klopp added: “That’s over now, we can concentrate on football and we will do that.
“It didn’t distract us and no one can tell us how best to deal with runs like this because not a lot of teams have done it.
“I was not happy with the performance (at Watford) but it was always clear there would be a moment when it would happen, and now it has happened.”
A lot of fans were not happy with the performance of Dejan Lovren, who replaced Virgil van Dijk’s long-term central defensive partner Joe Gomez at Vicarage Road because of a minor knock.
The Croatia international has often found himself bearing the brunt of unnecessary criticism but Klopp launched an impassioned defence of the 30-yearold.
“It’s not fair, but that’s the world. If anybody gave Dejan Lovren the blame for our defeat then I can’t help these people,” said the Reds boss, who revealed Gomez and midfielder James Milner were fit to return to the squad.
“A lot of times in my life I speak to people and they know less than I do about football. That’s okay as I’m a well-paid Premier League manager and I should know more than most.
“But on that level, I can’t discuss it.”
Meanwhile, Klopp says he is delighted for Liverpool Under-23s manager Neil Critchley after he was appointed the new head coach of Sky Bet League One side Blackpool.
Critchley, who took charge of Liverpool for two cup ties earlier this season when Klopp was away, has agreed a contract that runs until the end of the 2022-23 campaign.
The 41-year-old was in the dugout for the Reds’ 1-0 FA Cup fourth round replay win over Shrewsbury.
Klopp believes it is a fantastic opportunity, saying: “Congratulations to Blackpool and to Neil, it’s a great thing. It’s a nice challenge for him. He wanted to take it, he asked the club and we said, ‘Yes, of course’.
“It’s really nice because it shows it’s possible that you can make your way as a youth or Under-23 coach as well, that’s always what we wanted to have.
“We wanted to have the best people here in all different departments, that means in all the coaching roles as well.
“I’m really happy for him that he got that opportunity.”