Liverpool errors at Arsenal too big to overcome • Mourinho hails resilient Spurs
LONDON (Reuters) – Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said his side’s errors in its 2-1 defeat at Arsenal on Wednesday night were simply too big to come back from, despite his side having dominated the game.
Having gone a goal down in the 20th minute, Arsenal pounced on a clumsy back pass from defender Virgil Van Dijk and later a miskicked ball out from ’keeper Alisson to score twice, ending the Reds’ hopes of breaking the record point tally for a Premier League season.
“When you make these kind of mistakes you cannot win a football game – or you need to be really lucky to win a football game. We were not lucky today. All the mistakes were too big,” Klopp told reporters after the match.
“Scoring and going 1-0 up, and then taking kind of a break. We’re all humans and maybe it’s just a misjudgement of the situation,” he said.
Since winning the title with seven games to spare, Liverpool has dropped eight points in five games. Prior to that the Reds had dropped only seven points all season.
“I’m disappointed with the result of course,” Klopp said. “The numbers I saw was 24-3 (shots on goal), 70% to 30% possession, all for us – that’s exceptional. But the result is the truth, and we accept that and we are responsible for that result.”
“We have to make sure things like this will not happen again,” he said.
Liverpool has 93 points and can stretch that to 99 if its win at home to Chelsea and beats Newcastle away in its last two games. Manchester City notched a record 100 points for a season in 2017/18.
Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho hailed his side’s resilience after Wednesday’s 3-1 victory over Newcastle United and said it was important to qualify for Europe next season.
Spurs, who were in action 72 hours after their 2-1 victory over London rivals Arsenal, are seventh on 55 points, a point behind Wolverhampton Wanderers in sixth, which is likely to offer the last Europa League spot for next season.
"We had resilience and a great desire to win the match,” said Mourinho. “If we can’t get the Champions League, the Europa League is important.”
Mourinho also paid tribute to striker
Harry Kane after he scored twice to move past 200 career club goals, and defender Serge Aurier, who was playing despite his brother being shot dead in France.
“Harry Kane knows how important he is, he is incredible,” Mourinho added. “Serge Aurier is a very strong character, every person is different, and he wanted to play.”
Everton vs Aston Villa (late); Leicester City vs Sheffield United (late); Crystal Palace vs Manchester United (late); Southampton vs Brighton & Hove Albion (late).
West Ham United vs Watford (live on Sport 1 Norwich City vs Burnley (live on Sport Arsenal vs Manhester at 10 p.m.).
1 at 7:30 p.m.).
Manchester City (live on Sport 1 at 9:45 p.m.). United vs Chelsea (live on Sport 1 at 8 p.m.).