Klopp says Liverpool’s defending is an ‘obvious problem’ after Arsenal draw
Jurgen Klopp conceded Liverpool have an “obvious problem” after they conceded three goals in five minutes before salvaging a 3-3 Premier League draw at Arsenal.
Philippe Coutinho and Mohamed Salah had put Liverpool in control on Friday, but Alexis Sanchez, Granit Xhaka and Mesut Ozil all struck for Arsenal in their madcap five-minute spell at Emirates Stadium.
Roberto Firmino then struck to ensure the spoils would be shared but Liverpool manager Klopp was frustrated by his side’s defensive frailties coming to the fore once again.
“We, of course, deserved to win. We had more chances,” Klopp said. “But to lose three goals in five minutes, it’s an obvious problem.
“That’s how it is. Individual problems for all the goals.
“Misjudgement for the second goal, the third one we let him get in the box too easy. “Then after these five minutes we reacted much better and deserved the points.
“The result is not what we wanted. And the five minutes were very decisive.”
Goalkeeper Simon Mignolet was at fault for Xhaka’s goal, flapping at a shot he ought to have saved comfortably.
Klopp remained phlegmatic about the mistake, insisting Liverpool should still have secured victory.
“Simon Mignolet saves these balls 99.9 per cent of his full career, but not tonight,” Klopp said. “Those five minutes can be enough to learn from. We have to learn from this. We should have scored another goal. That’s a big compliment for us coming here, creating these kinds of chances, that’s not easy as well.
“If there were to be a winner, it should have been Liverpool.”
Klopp also apologised for his reaction in slamming a water bottle into the ground following Firmino’s leveller.
“I react sometimes in a bit of a strange way,” Klopp said. “I apologised to the people around me straight away. I threw a bottle on the ground. Nothing serious happened, but still it wasn’t good.
“I was not happy in that moment, but I really thought that was at least the minimum of what we deserved.”
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger confirmed Nacho Monreal picked up an ankle problem and later praised Jack Wilshere, stating that the midfielder may be nearing a new contract with the Gunners.
“We had a nightmare first-half, we were not composed enough. We should have been punished more,” Wenger said. “But credit to the players because to come back was tough.
“For Monreal, it’s an ankle problem.”
Asked if Wilshere’s new deal may be completed in the next few weeks, Wenger replied: “It might, we’ll see. I think we had four players who had graduated from our academy.
“Basically we want to keep these players.
“He’s better now than he was in the last two to three years, it’s positive overall, he’s in good shape at the moment.”
Arsenal’s fans booed former midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on his Emirates return, but Wenger was not fazed by the incident.
“I’ve been 20 years in England so I’m not surprised,” Wenger said. “But overall I don’t think it was too loud.”