Jürgen Klopp lamented Liverpool’s draw at Manchester United in a game they “should have won” and declared he was ready to support his club’s fiercest rivals against Arsenal after surrendering the initiative in the Premier League title race.
The 2-2 draw at Old Trafford, where Arsenal go on the penultimate weekend of the season, left Liverpool second, behind Mikel Arteta’s team on goal difference. Klopp said in a swipe at United’s performance and his players’ mistakes that Arsenal would win at Old Trafford if the hosts played as poorly again.
Liverpool’s captain, Virgil van Dijk, described the draw as feeling like a defeat. His team dominated and had 28 shots but, leading 1-0 at half-time through Luis Díaz, they conceded goals to Bruno Fernandes – scored from around 50 yards – and Kobbie Mainoo before Mohamed Salah’s late penalty split the points.
With seven matches left, Arsenal and Liverpool are one point ahead of Manchester City. Klopp, whose team were knocked out of the FA Cup at Old Trafford last month, was asked whether he would cheer on United against Arsenal.
“Probably if we are still around then [in the race] it would be great,” Liverpool’s manager said. “But Arsenal is a good football team and if they [United] play like they did today Arsenal will win that game, I’m 100% sure. I’m really sorry to say it but we should have won both games [after losing in the Cup] and didn’t. That’s our fault.”
Klopp said he was not too concerned at Liverpool, whose goal difference is inferior to Arsenal’s by nine, no longer being leaders. “It matters after 38 matchday – a lot,” Klopp said. “People and our supporters as well will tell us now we need to better our goal difference [but to] go for that, that would be the dumbest thing we could do. That doesn’t happen on purpose; you don’t go into a game wanting to score eight goals and it happens.
“We are who we are and we are how we are and that’s why we are in the race. I’m absolutely fine with that. I knew it would be super tricky until the end. We were, until yesterday, whichever time, top. Now it’s Arsenal and I don’t know when, then it is maybe somebody else.
“We want to be there after the last matchday. It’s obviously better to be there the whole time and have distance between you and the others. We are fine with our situation. I wish we had more points but I’m absolutely fine and over the moon actually that these boys brought us into that situation. The same boys who missed a few chances today are the boys who brought us 71 points. It is likely to have more twists.”
Van Dijk reflected on Liverpool’s missed first-half openings. “We should have been 2-0 up at least,” he told Sky Sports. “We had them under control. It definitely feels like a loss at this point. Because we were wasteful in our chances we gave them a lifeline.”
Fernandes’s equaliser came when Jarell Quansah passed straight to him near halfway, allowing the Portugal international to beat the stranded Caoimhin Kelleher. “Unfortunately individual mistakes can happen in a game but there was still so much time to put it right,” Van Dijk said. “But we were in a rush, losing too many balls in challenges in midfield.”
Was the result self-inflicted? “One hundred per cent. It feels like the Cup game again. In the first half we were much better than we played back then, we created chances and we limited them, but obviously we know that one moment can change the game if you don’t finish it off and that’s the disappointing part.”
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In the past three matches United, who are sixth, have surrendered seven points when winning. “It’s very disappointing when you put yourselves three times in a winning position just before the end of the game but then drop points,” Erik ten Hag said. “We have all seen some poor decisions.
“All three games had poor decisions and not every time the same players. What is not helping is we have 26 different shapes in the backline, the routines aren’t there, but still we have to improve. The sooner the better.”
Ten Hag was pleased with the 19-year-old Willy Kambwala who partnered Harry Maguire at centre‑back. “When old soldiers die, new ones have to come in,” he said.
