Klopp: We missed Mane
Senegal star nets brace as Reds rock Spurs
LIVERPOOL: Liverpool boss Juergen Klopp believes every team in the world would suffer without Sadio Mane after the Senegalese star marked his return with both goals in the 2-0 win over Tottenham.
Mane, back from a month on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations, scored in a devastating first half performance at Anfield as Liverpool won their first Premier League match on 2017.
“You need somebody on the end who scores and he did fantastically well,” said Klopp. “He could have scored a third one.
“We missed Sadio in January but every team in the world would have missed him.”
Mane netted twice in three first-half minutes as Klopp’s team ended Spurs’ nine-game unbeaten run.
Klopp now hopes an enforced 16-day lay-off will allow his team to recover from their poor start to 2017 although he refused to entertain the possibility of catching runaway league leaders Chelsea who still have a 10-point lead on his team.
It would appear to be an impossible task for the Merseyside club to try and overtake Antonio Conte’s side, however, although Klopp refused to discuss it in any detail and rather looked at the forthcoming break his team can enjoy due to their recent exit from the FA Cup.
“What would you think about me if I said ‘I think we can get them?’” said Klopp. “I was really ambitious? Crazy?
“Maybe you can imagine, I’m not too interested in this at the moment.
“We finally started 2017 tonight so we shouldn’t go nuts immediately and talk about the rest, let’s take it step by step.
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino admitted that his side failed to cope with Liverpool’s early intensity and aggression and conceded that Spurs are currently a way off competing for the title.
“We are second in the table, one point above Liverpool but it is true, my feeling now is not good,” he said.
“We can’t waste time thinking too much about this. The whole team were poor. It is about balance and today it was poor, that is the truth.
“We are in a position that is up to us. But if you show like today that you cannot cope with the pressure to play to win the league then it is difficult to challenge and fight for the Premier League.
“In the first 45 minutes you saw a team that is not ready to fight for the Premier League.”
PRAISE FOR MARTIAL
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho was delighted with Anthony Martial’s role in their 2-0 win against Watford as goals from Juan Mata and the French forward took his team to within a point of the Champions League places.
Martial has recently been in Mourinho’s bad books, with the Portuguese hitting out at the player’s agent for openly discussing interest in his client from other clubs.
The 21-year-old had not featured in United’s previous three league games, but he was back to his best, much to his manager’s delight.
“I want the Martial of the last two weeks in training,” said Mourinho, whose side remain sixth. “Because then he performs naturally like he did here. He’s working very well. I gave him the chance to start.
“Anthony needs to feel that I am looking at him and that I know he did well in training. I gave him his chance and he played well.”