[ad_1]
Publication date: Saturday, October 17, 2020 7:12 AM
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admits that his shock 7-2 loss to Aston Villa was probably the “punch to the face” his team needed and could turn out to be the biggest game of the season.
During their uncontrolled title win, their first in 30 years, earlier this year, Klopp’s team notably lost just one point until their first loss in February.
The aberration at Villa Park was arguably the worst performance for Klopp, who marks the fifth anniversary of his first game with a Merseyside derby against Everton at Goodison Park on Saturday.
With an international hiatus immediately afterward, the Reds coach did not have time to address the issues with his players, but believes the result can have a positive effect.
“The challenge in this situation is that you don’t want the players to be affected or influenced in the next game. You want a confident team, ”he said.
“You don’t want a team that seems to have their head down, but on the other hand you don’t want to forget the game as well and the 7-2 result helps a lot with that, in the sense that we won’t forget it.
“And I had that feeling more and more during the hours after the game that maybe after all the positive things that happened to us, we needed a proper punch to the middle of the face to shake us off.
“I’m not 100 percent sure about that, but that’s the way I take it and then it was okay because there is no other reason why 7-2 should be good.
“But if it were for that, then it could have been the biggest game of the season. So we try to use it and we will see ”.
The local level three lockdown in the Liverpool city area means the Merseyside derby 237 will be one like no other, and fans won’t be able to watch it in pubs or together at home.
Their previous meeting in June, their first game after closing, was a sad goalless draw at Goodison Park.
Blocking conditions
However, Klopp expected, given current local conditions, this will provide more of a boost.
“I like to think that football is always an important point in the city. I’m pretty sure it is, ”he added.
“A few months ago we were talking about whether football is really necessary and its role in society. From a very subjective point of view, he was pretty sure it did.
“There is an important role that we play. The people of the city are used to facing difficult situations, that’s how I see it.
“I don’t live in the center of the city and I don’t know what it looks like, but usually when bad things happen, this city comes together and they try to make the most of it.
“We tried from a football point of view, for sure. We are both city clubs, the whole city is united and we will see a soccer game.
“From that point of view, you’re probably right, which is even more important.”
READ MORE: Agitated Klopp challenges Sky Sports reporter after question
[ad_2]
