[ad_1]
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admitted the relief was “enormous” after his 1-0 win over Ajax secured first place in their Champions League group and eased the workload on his ailing team. .
Goalkeeper Andre Onana’s inexplicable decision to leave Neco Williams’s center saw fellow academy graduate Curtis Jones score his first goal in the competition.
It turned next week’s trip to FC Midtjylland into a dead rubber and means Klopp will be able to rest the players, with the injury list down to nine now, as Alisson Becker’s hamstring injury will likely rule him out during at least 10 days.
Before the game, the spotlight had been on Caoimhín Kelleher making his European debut between the posts for Klopp’s team due to Alisson’s injury, but the 22-year-old from Cork was right.
He made a series of good saves but saved the best for last to avoid a close header from veteran forward Klaas Jan Huntelaar.
“It’s a situation where I have to say it was easy to decide for Caoimh, because he deserves it, but difficult to decide against Adrian because he has done well for us,” Klopp said of his decision to give the Republic of Ireland Under – 21 international his European debut.
“He did a very good job, but tonight we needed Caoimh’s package and he is a great talent, a very good closer and a great footballer.
“In the end it’s about keeping the ball out of the net and he did it twice and he did it in an exceptional way. He will sleep very well tonight or he will not sleep at all. “
Klopp said he was also delighted with the team’s performance, as Liverpool advanced to the knockout stages.
“Massive. In fact, I’m over the moon with the attitude and character that we show tonight,” Klopp said.
“We had great football moments, we could have scored early, defended well, we had counterattack chances in the second half, we made a wonderful goal and we had to defend with everything we had.
“I am very happy with the result and the performance under the circumstances.”
Klopp said he didn’t see the goal well at the time, but praised Jones for anticipating where the ball would land.
“Honestly, it was a good center for Neco because it is not a center aimed at the goalkeeper but rather it is usually a ball that goes to the goal and nobody reacts,” he added.
“I have to look back to see the goal, but I saw that it was on the net and that’s enough information for me.”
The game raised further injury concerns, with Andy Robertson and Jordan Henderson respective ankle and back problems, and Klopp keeps his fingers crossed for good news.
“They both played, so I would say we have two more days now than last week, so I think they (are fine),” he said.
“Things like this show a little different the next day, but at the moment I’m positive about it. That’s a problem for the next few days, but not tonight. “
Ajax coach Erik Ten Hag admits mistakes were costly in his two meetings against Liverpool as they lost 1-0 in Amsterdam to an own goal by Nicolas Tagliafico.
“Yeah, it’s just kicking an open door, right? We create opportunities, we don’t finish them off and the goals we had against us in Amsterdam and here there are personal mistakes, “he said.
“We are not used to this from him (Onana). He is a fantastic goalkeeper, but he can also make mistakes. Just past.”
Ajax now have to beat Atalanta in their last game to stay in the competition.
“We have to win next week. That’s the only thing that counts, ”said Ten Hag.
[ad_2]