KLOPP HAPPY BUT AIMS FOR CONSISTENCY IN LONG RUN

JURGEN KLOPP hailed his Liverpool players for responding to Monday’s damaging defeat at Leicester City with a positive result against Arsenal, but said he is more focused on the long-term success of the club.

The Anfield manager also called for patience from supporters, claiming he has to ingrain the correct style of play until a better level of consistency can be achieved.

‘Because we were so angry about the Leicester game, I told the boys that at this moment (we are) on the roller-coaster of the league — so up and down, up and down, but mainly up,’ said Klopp.

‘So that is good and we should not forget that we can do things like we did today and we will work on this, but the focus is on the long-term project.

‘I understand that some people will lose their patience but we can’t. Development is inconsistent until you are the team you want to be, then you will be consistent.

‘That’s where we want to be and we try hard for it.

‘It was one of the best games we have played so far because of the strength of our opponent.

‘We did really well. We had hard words after the defeat at Leicester. We analysed it and that wasn’t enjoyable.

‘All of them played a fantastic game. When we are compact it’s fantastic. Adam Lallana can come out of the formation and trigger something. Being compact and stable is the basis of each good display.

‘We knew Arsenal would bounce back in the second half. Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal’s halftime substitute) is the highestquality player and plays different to Danny Welbeck. Simon Mignolet saved our lives.

‘It’s important to go back to fourth above Arsenal.’

Gunners manager Arsene Wenger blamed lack of game time for his side’s lacklustre first-half showing.

‘Our performance was not at the level we expect in the first half but that is down to a lack of rhythm; we have not played for a while,’ he said.

‘The collective response was very strong in the second half.’