Jürgen Klopp expressed regret for Liverpool’s first Merseyside derby loss to Everton in 14 years and confessed that a calamity at Arsenal and Manchester City would be necessary to keep their hopes alive in the title race.
Liverpool’s defeat at Goodison Park was well deserved as the goals scored by Jarrad Branthwaite and Dominic Calvert-Lewin managed to secure a vital three points for Sean Dyche’s squad in their fight for Premier League survival. Following Everton’s triumph, Liverpool, who are negotiating the appointment of Feyenoord’s Arne Slot as their new boss, are lagging three points behind leaders Arsenal and just one point over Manchester City, the latter holding the advantage of an additional two games. A disheartened Klopp conceded that Liverpool only had themselves to blame for their first defeat at Goodison during his tenure.
Klopp went on to say that their performance was subpar. Liverpool either played or allowed to the game to be played to Everton’s advantage. Despite defending three times, they allowed Everton to score from two set pieces. He added that even though Branthwaite didn’t kick the ball properly, it rolled over the line.
Their performance improved after the first goal, creating opportunities but failing to capitalise. Each missed chance seemed to fuel Everton’s momentum. Their performance in the second half lacked quality, leading to the second goal. Klopp said that it was a routine goal for Everton, with a player being left completely free. He stated that it wasn’t their most inspirational performance.
Klopp expressed deep regret and apologised. They hadn’t lost there before and it felt different. Although it was completely unnecessary, it happened. Now, Klopp said, they must recover as swiftly as possible because they play at West Ham at 12.30pm on Saturday, a tough challenge both mentally and physically.
Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool’s manager, admitted to the diminishing prospects of his side bagging their second Premier League title during his stint at the club. He remarked that unless a crisis hits Manchester City and Arsenal, causing them to lose their games, Liverpool’s performance won’t be enough to claim the title. Klopp stressed the need for his side to improve their football and not rely solely on the Champions League qualification.
Liverpool’s captain, Virgil van Dijk, criticised the performance of the team during their late-season stretch, where they lost points to Manchester United, Everton and Crystal Palace. Van Dijk questioned the team’s desire to win the league and their commitment to every game. He cautioned that unless there was a significant improvement in performance, their chances to win the title remained bleak.
Contrastingly, Sean Dyche, Everton’s manager, expressed his joy at his team’s reaction after a 6-0 drubbing by Chelsea just over a week ago. Two subsequent victories against Liverpool and Nottingham Forest displayed their tenacious response. Dyche denied claims of his team’s carelessness, insisting on his squad’s commitment to perform. He lauded the strong reaction from all involved in the club.