KOP GOAL MACHINE BREAKS ’EM DOWN
Klopp hails net bus-ters
JURGEN KLOPP reckons Liverpool’s five-star show at Brighton proves his side have shaken off one of last season’s hoodoos.
Last year, the Reds’ hopes of a sustained title challenge were hit when they kept dropping points at teams lower in the table.
This season Klopp is convinced they know how to beat sides who they had found difficult to break down.
Not that Brighton set out to spike the visitors’ guns – they were simply swept away by a Reds strikeforce firing on all cylinders.
Roberto Firmino struck twice, Philippe Coutinho scored one and forced an own-goal from Brighton’s Lewis Dunk, and Mohamed Salah was a constant threat.
Boss Klopp said: “They are all different, they are all good. I really like these players, that’s why they are here.
Annoying
“I don’t like it too much after a game to be so over the moon. Roberto has scored twice but what he did around these goals, that’s what excites me most.
“In all contacts, pretty much, he won the ball. Being here, being annoying, a little toe – and then the boys go. We need to get used to it.
“Last year, a few people said we didn’t have a plan against bus-parking teams and now we score five, we score three, we do things like this. It’s development.”
A return of 25 goals from the last eight games tells its own story and Brighton had little hope of stemming the tide once Emre Can headed Liverpool in front in the 30th minute.
Moments later Firmino capped a sweeping move involving Salah and Coutinho and added a 48th-minute third after another break.
Glenn Murray’s 51st-minute penalty gave Albion hope but Coutinho moved through the gears late on, hitting a superb 87th-minute free-kick a minute before Dunk diverted the Brazilian’s shot home.
Liverpool keeper Simon Mignolet said: “I played here when Luis Suarez was here together with Daniel Sturridge and Raheem Sterling and they were banging the goals in.
“So I think Liverpool always has that kind of talent up front, prolific goalscorers and strikers who can make the difference.
“This group is different of course. Luis was more like a real goalscorer, waiting for his chance, where now we have players who play together, creating the chances and sharing the goals. The opponent can’t really set up to defend one player, they have to defend a few boys now, and because of that they give each other the space they need.
“And I think the forwards are as important in defence as they are in attack. They are the first ones to press up high and we then have to follow as a team.”
Brighton boss Chris Hughton admits his side must lift themselves after their first heavy defeat of the campaign.
He said: “The top six teams are the top six for a reason and that is because they have the best players. If their best players turn up, it is difficult to do anything about it.
“We made too many mistakes and our level of passing wasn’t at the normal standard.
“It will be a tough few days. We’ve had a good few weekends when there is that nice feel after a win or a draw. We have lost this season but this is our first big one.”