Jurgen sees KLOPP’S ‘BAD’ RAP DESPITE NU Reds mist NEZ HEROICS OFF BENCH By Ian Baker
ANGRY Jurgen Klopp refused to hug his Liverpool players after this shock draw – admitting his frustration was “off the scale”.
The Reds salvaged a point thanks to new boy Darwin Nunez and Mo Salah after promoted Fulham looked set to condemn them to a first league loss of 2022. Klopp is famed for embracing his men but was too miserable to do so at Craven Cottage.
It was a performance lacking their usual style in attack and composure at the back as Aleksandar Mitrovic proved he could hack it in the top flight with a deadly double.
And German Klopp fumed: “On a frustration scale of 1-10, that felt like 12.
“I feel very frustrated because I feel much more responsible for defeats than a win.
“This felt like a defeat, the performance felt like a defeat. We have to figure out what happened. That was not us.
“We played a really bad game and got a point. That way we played is not how we should have played. That’s why my frustration was pretty high.
“The attitude wasn’t right in the beginning.
“We can’t always hug the boys, we do that usually when they deserve it.
“But the best news is the result. I’m happy for the punishment we got in losing two points.” To make matters worse, midfielder Thiago went off with a hamstring injury. Klopp said: “He is not good, we’ll see.”
Fulham could have taken the lead in the first minute after the first of several Trent Alexander-arnold clangers. The right-back gave the ball away and Mitrovic fired wide. Liverpool’s defending was hopeless as the hosts gave them several scary moments. When the big Serb’s first came on 33 minutes it was
thoroughly deserved, Mitrovic rising above Alexander-arnold to head home Kenny Tete’s cross.
Luis Diaz did hit the post in the first half but Klopp ran down the tunnel at the break with matters on his mind.
But it was not until Nunez – who starred in the Community Shield win over Manchester City – had come on that Liverpool improved.
Even then, Neeskens Kebano was close to making it two for the Cottagers with a shot that came back off the inside of the post.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, £64million man Nunez’s super flick from Salah’s cross levelled matters on 64 minutes.
And seconds later the exbenfica man was denied on the line by Tim Ream.
But Mitrovic’s superb run 18 minutes from the end led to Virgil van Dijk sticking out a leg and giving away a penalty.
Mitrovic netted 43 times in 44 Championship games last term but had struggled with only 24 goals in 104 previous top-flight appearances.
However, his overall game and composed penalty fired low past Alisson proves he can carry on from where he left off last season rather than continue his previous Premier League woe.
Liverpool got a leveller 10 minutes from time as Salah scored for the sixth opening day running with a tap-in after Ream’s back header had fallen into the path of Nunez, who squared to the Egyptian.
Liverpool could even have won it as Jordan Henderson hit the bar from 25 yards.
Fulham boss Marco Silva said: “Our players deserved more than a draw. Our organisation in the first half was almost perfect.
“Mitro is not just a goalscorer, he did an unbelievable job without the ball.
“And in the last six weeks I have not had any conversations with him about his confidence to play in the Premier League.”