Klopp bemoans missed chances

NEWCASTLE United’s Joe Willock celebrates scoring his goal. |

LIVERPOOL manager Jurgen Klopp rued his side's failure to take their chances yesterday as Newcastle United substitute Joe Willock scored a late equaliser to deny their hosts a muchneeded win in their pursuit of Champions League football next season.

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah scored the opener inside three minutes but the defending champions wasted a host of chances to extend their lead and paid the price in stoppage time when Willock's deflected strike secured a 1-1 result for Newcastle at Anfield.

"We kept them alive and they deserved the goal," Klopp told BT Sport. "They scored the one before, unlucky for Wilson but it is (disallowed for) handball and we don't even take this present. It's really tough to take.

"In a specific way we don't fight enough. We had 70% of the ball, we should have 80%. We created a lot of chances, didn't score with them, so we have to create more.

"That is how it is. We don't do that well at the moment."

Two more points dropped is a blow to Liverpool's Champions League qualification hopes, after their owners Fenway Sports Group's (FSG) plans of joining a Super League and securing European football without having to earn it collapsed this week.

Liverpool were one of the 12 clubs to initially announce that they would participate in the proposed Super League project last weekend, only to pull out within 48 hours amid furious protests from their own players and fans.

Banners saying "Enough is enough, FSG out" and "Our game, our club: thanks but no Yanks" were unfurled by fans outside Anfield ahead of the match, despite club owner John Henry issuing an apology for their involvement in the ill-fated project.

When asked about Liverpool's Champions League prospects at the end of the tumultuous week, Klopp said: "If you deserve, you deserve it.

"I didn't see us deserve it today playing Champions League next year. In another five games? We'll see what we can do."