Klopp frustrated as Rose rescues Spurs
JURGEN KLOPP insisted Liverpool missed the opportunity to secure a second victory of the season after drawing with Tottenham at White Hart Lane.
James Milner, playing in the unfamiliar position of full-back, rifled home the opener from the penalty spot before Sadio Mane unjustly had a goal disallowed for offside as the Reds pushed for a second.
Spurs were in danger of being over-run as the visitors created a series of chances but they struck back through Danny Rose in the second half and finished the stronger team.
“I still feel a little bit disappointed when we play like this, because we could have won the game. We made one mistake in and around the goal for their goal,” Klopp said. “We had chances, and even one in the 92nd minute. This game showed again what we can do and how we can play.
“I wish we could have won it. We have to accept the point and that’s not a problem because it’s Tottenham.
“It feels worst now than the last time we were here last season. Simon Mignolet saved our lives then, now he had one brilliant save. Michel Vorm saved them a few times.
“Of course, the players know they should score. Tottenham is not a game you win by four or five goals. They are a good defensive team, so it’s very difficult to create one chance but we had a few. That’s a good sign and it’s something we take for our future. In the end, we have to accept the result.”
When told Adam Lallana was not offside for Mane’s goal, Klopp replied: “Oh my God! What can I say? It was a wonderful goal. Brilliant play. It’s not too good but it happened.”
Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino insists Kyle Walker’s substitution in the 28th minute due to illness had a significant impact.
Pochettino was unable to say whether the illness would rule Walker out of the first England squad named by Sam Allardyce today.
“I think we started well. After 15 minutes, we had a problem with Kyle Walker who was sick. We had to change a bit our plan and started to play with two strikers,” he said.
“And it was true that at half- time it was a deserved 1-0 to Liverpool and the second half we raised our performance levels.
“We played not well, but better – we competed a lot, which is important, so I am pleased.
“It is true we wanted to play a little bit long but we started to make some mistakes. We knew Liverpool are a team that like to run into space. But then we had the problem with Walker and we had to take more risks in the second half. They had chances to win the match but we played much better.
“The effort was fantastic and the character we showed. When you play a team who like to play on the counter-attack, you must take some risks. In the end, a draw was a fair result.”
Tottenham defender Rose said he felt a draw “was a fair result”, before hailing Vorm.
The Dutchman, in for the injured Hugo Lloris, pulled off a stunning early save to deny Philippe Coutinho and then reacted quickly on two occasions to pull off perfectly-timed slide tackles to take the ball away from Mane as he raced clear.
“To be fair, in the first half Michel Vorm has been our man of the match. He’s made some great saves, he’s come off his line well and I thought we played a lot better second half,” Rose said. “We’ve got two outstanding sweeperkeepers at the club and when Hugo is not playing it’s great to have a second goalkeeper who can come in and do the job exactly like Hugo.”
Commenting on his goal, Rose added: “I took a gamble, I didn’t want to go forward too much because the pace of Mane is frightening but I managed to get in at the back post and, to be honest, I think I shanked the goal but they all count and I’m glad that it went in.”