Jurgen Klopp has admitted he couldn’t believe that Liverpool didn’t beat Arsenal after the Reds recovered from 2-0 down to earn a share of the spoils against the Gunners at Anfield on Easter Sunday.
Liverpool started poorly and found themselves 2-0 down inside the opening half-hour courtesy of goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus. However, late strikes in each half from Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino saw them fight back to clinch a 2-2 draw.
However, the Reds spurned many good chances which would have earned them victory, with Salah missing a penalty and firing over from close-range, Andy Robertson dragging a shot wide from a good position, and the Egyptian, Darwin Nunez, and Ibrahima Konate all being denied by Aaron Ramsdale when well-placed.
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Considering Liverpool’s struggles this season, Klopp was pleased with his side’s response against Arsenal to earn a draw. But that didn’t stop him from feeling that it was two points dropped rather than one pointed gained for the Reds against the Premier League leaders.
“The reaction was top, obviously,” the German told reporters. “Getting 2-0 down is not too cool.
“First goal was unlucky. Robbo slips, they go inside, it bounces and in the end Martinelli gets a foot on it. That’s 1-0. The 2-0 happens in a situation we shouldn’t have had too often. Not the cross and the ball in, that the ball arrives there and we didn’t have a challenge beforehand.
“For that, we needed a higher last line. I understand with the threat they are on the wings with Saka and Martinelli speed-wide, it doesn’t feel comfortable but we have to do it anyway.
“In the moment when we started getting more compact, line higher, midfield closer, front three together, in that moment it was not as easy anymore. When we got that, we were better in the game.
“In possession, it was okay. It was a lot of long balls, we maybe didn’t move enough in the decisive areas. It was a slightly different set-up which the boys had to adapt to. I get that but long balls is not a problem, we can go for second balls. We had a few good ones where we made more of it.
“We had chances before we scored. Good moments to be honest but didn’t use them, but then the goal was most helpful in football. Before half-time, it’s 2-1. I think everybody felt it. We could turn this game around.
“That’s what we did performance-wise. Result-wise, half-way. The question I had in my mind when I walked in after the game was, ‘How could we not win this game?’ But we didn’t. It’s a point and that’s okay.
“Another step in the right direction I would say. The first time for a long time that we reacted really well. We didn’t fall apart and that could have happened with everything that happened this year. It wasn’t 1-0, 2-0, and then the next chance is 3-0. It didn’t happen.
“We looked better. We looked ready in these moments to fight back. That’s what we did. In the second half we should have turned the game around completely with the chances we had. At least a point is okay.”
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