Klopp believes shocking league defeat could prove a positive for Liverpool
LONDON (Reuters) – Far from being deflated by his team’s first Premier League reverse of the season at Watford on Saturday, Liverpool’s ever-positive manager Jurgen Klopp reckoned the shock 3-0 setback could prove liberating for his treble-seeking Reds.
Klopp’s champion-elect served up its worst performance of the year as it was outplayed by a Watford side that started the game one from the bottom of the table and 55 points adrift of his runaway leader.
Yet while recognizing his team’s 44-match unbeaten league streak had been bound to be dismantled some time, the German optimist also reflected that he was not really disappointed by the end of the pursuit of some potentially unreal records.
“I see it rather positive because from now on we can play free football again. We don’t have to defend or try to get a record, we can just try to win football games again and that is what we will do,” Klopp told reporters at Vicarage Road.
Asked if there was any disappointment, he added: “Not really, because I don’t think you can break records because you want to break records; you break records because you are 100 percent focused on each step. And for that you have to perform.
“The boys performed and that’s why we won the games, but tonight we were not good enough. It’s not now a plus for me that in history, when they look back in 500 years, they will say, ‘Liverpool nearly did it.’ You cannot change that and it was always clear, sometime we would lose a game.”
Klopp dismissed the suggestion that weariness might have crept into his side, who lost in the Champions League first leg at Atletico Madrid and then had not been at their sharpest in defeating West Ham United in their previous two matches.
“Nothing to do with tiredness,” he said. “It’s not easy to explain but it should not be now the biggest sensation in world football that it happened.”
Klopp was keener to praise the quality of his conquerors, who had been inspired by the electric Ismaila Sarr, who scored twice after the break and made the third for Watford captain Troy Deeney.
“The most important thing is to congratulate Watford, well deserved. That is what should be the headline. We didn’t perform like we should have and Watford performed exactly how they wanted.
“That’s how football is. It has nothing to do with games you won before, it has nothing to do with the games you will win, it is just this one football game, unfortunately. For tonight, we have to admit Watford were the better team.”
Next up for Liverpool was Tuesday’s late FA Cup fifth-round clash at Chelsea in which
Klopp returned to the Reds’ starting line-up after the Anfield club fielded their Under-23 players in the previous round as it still chases a Champions League, Premier League and domestic Cup treble.
Klopp had indicated that the performance at Vicarage Road would have no bearing on team selection for the trip to Stamford Bridge.
“The defeat has nothing to do with lineup tomorrow night,” said Klopp. “We always play with a team which gives us the best chance to reach the next round.”
Klopp is still supremely confident in his team. “What the boys did so far is exceptional, but it is not over,” said Klopp. “That is the only thing I am interested in – it’s not over. We will go again, I promise 100 percent, and then we will see where it leads us to.”
Sheffield Wednesday vs Manchester City (live on Sport 2 at 9:45 p.m.); Tottenham Hotpsur vs Norwich City (live on Sport 3 at 9:45 p.m.). Derby County vs Manchester United (live on Sport 1 at 9:45 p.m.).