Happy, sad, uncertain – these are the feelings expressed by Jürgen Norbert Klopp, the outgoing manager of Liverpool. After his side drew 2 – 2 away at Old Trafford.
Liverpool had the chance to go two points clear of Arsenal at the top of the table but are now second on the log, equal on points with the Gunners but with a poorer goal difference.
The draw against Manchester United also meant that Klopp will leave Anfield at the end of the season with the poorest record he has ever had against the Reds’ rivals in his nine years at the helm of Liverpool’s on-pitch affairs.
With Arsenal’s game drastically improving and the threat of Manchester City still very real, Klopp is now staring a second trophy loss this season in the face.
And with the threat of losing out on a potential treble getting more real as the season rounds up, the manager has expressed mixed motions towards the state of the club at the moment, starting with their draw away at Old Trafford.
“It’s obviously mixed [emotions],” the German tactician began. “[I am] happy with a lot of parts of the game. Being 1-0 up at Old Trafford and having a 15-0 shooting stat is incredible. It says to me immediately again there is probably something around the finishing.
“It was either exceptional goalkeeping – which was the case for one situation for Dom Szoboszlai, [which] was an incredible save – but besides that we should and could have been calmer and clearer in moments.
“We played really good in so many moments and we had a five- or 10-minute period where they score. Now you can say if we had that much of a dominance for long parts we should win the game – yes, that’s true – but you all are long enough in football that it doesn’t mean you will win. It just means you should and that is obviously different very often to the final scoreline.
“Two-two, I am not over the moon about it, I don’t think it’s the best result I’ve ever seen, but I am fine. Now we recover and play AtalantaAtalanta in the Europa League.”
He also spoke on the state of the title race, seeing as this loss has played into Arsenal’s hands.
“That matters after 38 matchdays a lot,” his answer began. “There is a big difference after 38 matchdays. Look, you will – and people, our supporters as well – tell us [Arsenal] have the better goal difference and now we have to go for that. That would be the dumbest thing we can do. It doesn’t happen on purpose.
“You don’t win a game and want to score eight goals and it happens. We are who we are, we are how we are and that is why we are in the race and I am absolutely fine with that. I knew it would be super-tricky until the end. That’s all. Again, until yesterday, we were top of the table and now it is Arsenal.
“We are fine with our situation. I wish we would have more points, but I am absolutely fine – and I am actually over the moon these boys brought us into that situation. The same boys that missed a few chances today are the boys who brought us 71 points, so I am absolutely fine with that.”
After their UEFA Europa League clash with Atalanta in midweek, Liverpool will return to Anfield to wait for Crystal Palace as they continue their charge for Klopp’s second Premier League trophy.
