Liverpool boss on ‘freak’ goal

– Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp (above) said he would take the positives from his side’s 1-1 draw with Chelsea despite the disappointment of conceding a freak 85th-minute equaliser.

Mohamed Salah’s goal against his former club looked set to restore Liverpool to winning ways after their 3-3 draw against Sevilla, only for Willian’s mishit cross to earn Chelsea a point.

“I’m happy about big parts of the performance. I’m really proud of the attitude. Everything was good until Willian crossed the ball.

“The world is in a strange, crazy place at the moment and there are much more important, crazy things that are happening. I can easily live with a point against Chelsea.”

Willian struck two minutes after coming on for Davide Zappacosta, drifting across the box from left to right before lifting a cross towards the far post that dropped beneath the crossbar.

Klopp had been trying to send on the fit-again Adam Lallana in order to change to a back three and said he was mystified by referee Michael Oliver’s initial refusal to allow the change to take place.

“In my mind, Ragnar Klavan would have been in exactly the position where Willian crossed the ball,” Klopp said.

“That means we would have blocked the cross. So you don’t feel too good when the ref doesn’t allow you to change the system because he thinks maybe it’s time play (wasting) or something. “I’ve no idea why he said no.” Klopp said Chelsea had played more defensively than he had expected. – AFP