Klopp tells critics not to expect magic solution to Liverpool woes

LONDON: Juergen Klopp says the transfer market is not the magic solution to Liverpool’s defensive woes after familiar problems returned to haunt his side on their return to Champions League action against Sevilla.

Dejan Lovren’s slip allowed Wissam Ben Yedder to score early in Wednesday’s match at Anfield but goals from Roberto Firmino, who also missed a penalty, and Mohamed Salah appeared to have put the home side in control.

However, with 18 minutes to go the defence switched off and Joaquin Correa equalised. To compound Liverpool’s frustration, Joe Gomez was sent off in added time for a second bookable offence.

The Reds, who lost 5-0 to Manchester City in the English Premier League at the weekend, were heavily linked with Southampton centreback Virgil van Dijk in the summer but had to publicly withdraw their interest after a tapping-up row.

With the Saints refusing to sell at any price it was an area of the team that was not strengthened and defensive lapses – not for the first this season – cost them as Sevilla scored from their only two shots on target.

“I know you are always looking for this thing – the defence was always something being talked about: ‘We didn’t sign this or that’,” said Klopp, whose side were returning to Champions League action after a two-season absence.

“If these problems could be solved by one player you can imagine we would have put all our money into it and say: ‘Let’s do this’.

“It is about being dominant and losing a bit of a grip on the game in all the defensive moments.”

Klopp said there was room for improvement and that his players needed to learn to be dominant and not give away easy goals.

“It is not a general defending problem but we have to improve 100%,” said the Liverpool boss.

Kloppadded he was happy with most of what he saw against Sevilla but rued the two goals conceded.

“It was pretty much a winning performance for 85, 86 minutes, and the team played well against a side who play well,” he told BT Sport. “We had answers for everything apart from the goals.

“It is a draw, it does not feel too good but I am fine with big parts of the performance.”

Meanwhile, captain Jordan Henderson defended Firmino, who had scored Liverpool’s equaliser in the 21st minute before striking a post with a penalty just before halftime.

“Roberto Firmino has scored penalties for us before,” he told the broadcaster. “Players will always miss penalties.

“We had plenty more chances to score, so we need to be more ruthless and go three or four up. That is football and we have got done.”

Berizzo said Firmino’s penalty miss had given his side hope.

“Liverpool missing that penalty helped put us back in the game, (Pablo) Sarabia coming on helped us hold the ball and we played with much more order in the second half,” he told reporters. — Agencies