Klopp: We had a point to prove after poor start

JURGEN KLOPP hailed a perfect day as Liverpool provided a record-equalling response to arrest their slow start to the season. Liverpool matched both the club and Premier League record scoreline with the 9-0 mauling of Bournemouth, with Roberto Firmino shining brightest on an afternoon when there were seven different scorers.

Klopp’s side were under scrutiny following their 2-1 defeat to Manchester United last Monday but the manager, who held a meeting with his squad 48 hours after the trip to Old Trafford to address some issues, got the response that he wanted.

The only previous time Liverpool won a league match 9-0, against Crystal Palace in September 1989, they went on to become champions but Klopp was not looking to the future and was simply relieved his squad had got their first three points of the campaign on the board.

‘We had to prove a point for ourselves,’ said Klopp. ‘After a short pre-season with mixed results, good performances, less good performances, then having an absolute highlight (beating Manchester City in the Community Shield) and then dropping, I know how it sounds when you lose a game.

‘Everyone in the world is a fantastic entertainer when you win and when you don’t it sounds like excuses. It is just important what the conclusion is for us. We had to prove a point for us. We were not happy with the way we played (at Old Trafford). We showed things which we are strong at and other things we had to improve. We just have to give the game a proper direction and that is why I love the start so much that we didn’t hesitate, went into the game flying and had bodies in the box, around the box, second balls and go again.’

Klopp added: ‘Then you get this early goal and you get the second, wonderful goal, how we played it, finishing, and we kept going, scored different goals. I couldn’t respect more what Scott (Parker) is doing at Bournemouth, in not the easiest circumstances.

‘In the end, we could bring on the kids who deserve it and rotate. It was the perfect football afternoon for us and a lot of different goalscorers, wonderful goals and we all know we needed something like that.’

Liverpool now face a week in which tests come against Newcastle and Everton and Klopp was thrilled to see the display of Firmino, who has been so influential for him through the years.

‘It was top,’ said Klopp. ‘A bunch of outstanding football [players] and top performances; I loved Robbo’s impact, he makes all the difference but I know it is not the moment to talk about individual performances when you lose at Old Trafford, but he played really well there. He was everywhere.

‘This was a difficult game. He played really high up the pitch. Being part of the massive chance in the first half, one-two with Harvey, that is Bobby Firmino and the timing could not have been better.’