Jurgen Klopp to Roy Keane: ‘Did you say Liverpool were sloppy tonight?’
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Updated 28/09/2020 at 21:56 GMT
“Did I hear right that Mr Keane said we had a sloppy performance tonight?” Klopp asked after tuning into the Sky Sports studio following Liverpool's 3-1 win over Arsenal. Roy Keane had called the Premier League champions 'machines' but also said there were errors. Klopp said his side were 'absolutely exceptional'.
Jurgen Klopp celebrates Liverpool's 3-1 win over Arsenal
Image credit: Getty Images
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp had a confusing albeit entertaining post-match discussion with pundit Roy Keane following his side’s 3-1 win over Arsenal on Monday night.
Arsenal took a 1-0 lead at Anfield through Alexandre Lacazette after a Andy Robertson error, but Sadio Mane levelled two minutes later.
Robertson then made amends with a goal of his own before half-time, with substitute and new signing Diogo Jota rounding off the victory late on.
Afterwards, Klopp was being interviewed by Sky Sports, and was unsure of what he had heard from former Manchester United captain Keane.
“Did I hear right that Mr Keane said we had a sloppy performance tonight?” Klopp asked.
Sky Sports presenter David Jones then threw the question to a smiling Keane in the studio, who said: “I think they gave up one or two opportunities, but they’ll be disappointed with.”
Klopp continued: “I’m not sure if I heard it right, maybe he spoke about another game, it cannot be this game, sorry. That’s an incredible description of this game. This was absolutely exceptional, nothing was sloppy. Absolutely nothing. From the first second it was dominant against a team in form.
“You have to be careful like hell with the counter attacks. When Alisson had to make one save, they put two balls in behind, you cannot avoid that. Apart from that the football we played was absolutely exceptional.
“About this game tonight there’s nothing bad to say.”
Keane, who had earlier called the Premier League champions machines” given their fitness levels, then said: “I think you might have misheard me, I said there were sloppy moments but I think you’ve been outstanding. I’ve been giving the club nothing but praise. I’m not sure you heard me correctly there.”
Klopp then admitted he heard the word “sloppy” before Keane finished: “You need to hear the rest of it.”
And once Klopp was gone. "Sensitive these managers aren't they?" Jones asked, to which Keane replied: "Very sensitive, Jesus. Imagine if he lost.”
‘Absolutely wow’
Klopp added: "We had so many big moments and I don't dream we finish off each situation, we were 1-0 down but we won it and it was completely deserved. Could we score more goals? Yes. Could they score? Yes. We played constantly a high line.
"How can you defend Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang with not having a high line? We punished them from time to time, did not punish them but killed a little of their match plan. They stuck to it but we did it again and again.
"We want to win the ball as high as we can that is why I was not frustrated or disappointed. The games can go either way and if they score goals it looked slightly different. It is about how you play, how you create and early i the season, with this performance, it’s absolutely wow.”
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta told BBC Sport: "We were in the game for a big part of the game. The reality is they are superior to us in many aspects. You could see that is some phases.
"I'm really happy in the way the team competed and kept believing. This is the standard we have to reach. We are on a different journey. They've been together five years, we've had a few months.
"They scored too early [after Arsenal's goal], big mistake from us. I had a feeling we were going to have chances in the second half.
"We had probably the best chance of the game. You have to put them in the net when you have chances against them. We have a long way to go in many things."
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