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Jurgen Klopp insists Liverpool’s 1-0 loss to Chelsea is a “massive blow” to his team’s hopes of finishing in the top four in the Premier League.
Mason Mount’s goal in the first half proved to be the difference, as Chelsea inflicted a fifth straight loss at home to Liverpool for the first time in club history.
The victory moves Thomas Tuchel’s team to fourth place and Klopp’s, who are now four points behind that with Everton and West Ham ahead, now face a great battle to qualify for the Champions League next season. .
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FREE TO SEE: Highlights from Chelsea’s victory against Liverpool in the Premier League
“It’s a massive hit,” Klopp said. Sky sports.
“It is not done yet, but we do not have to talk that if you lose so many games, you do not have the right to go to the Champions League.
“We have to win football games and we know it and we will work on it, but for tonight, it was not enough.”
Klopp: I blame myself for the defeat
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Jamie Carragher assesses where it all went wrong for Liverpool this season after Jurgen Klopp’s side suffered their fifth straight loss at home
Klopp took the blame for the lackluster defeat, with his team’s only shot on goal not being recorded until the 85th minute.
Liverpool have been without a goal at Anfield for more than 10 hours and have only taken one point out of the last 21 they have offered at home since Christmas, scoring just two goals, one of them from a penalty.
After nearly four years undefeated in the league at home, Klopp has lost more games at Anfield in the past four weeks than in his previous five years.
Liverpool have failed to win any of their last seven league games at home.
“Intense game, tight game, a decisive moment decided the game with the quality of Mason,” he added.
“We don’t use our situations. That is more or less the explanation of the result.
“I try to be as honest as possible, I told the guys what I saw tonight. Not that we are going for any kind of excuses right now.
“These games are decided in moments and to recover those moments you have to fight and sometimes at a different level. It’s not about tactics. It’s about being resilient and with heart.
“We’re not going to blame circumstances. There’s only one person to criticize. It’s us and me. That’s what I told the guys.”
Klopp minimizes Salah’s side reaction
Mohamed Salah was retired shortly after the hour mark at Anfield, but Jurgen Klopp played down the reaction.
Liverpool’s woes were compounded by the sight of Mohamed Salah shaking his head on the bench after being replaced by Klopp just after the appointed time.
It was a decision that surprised Sky Sports’s Jamie Carragher in the co-comment, but Klopp played down the decision to eliminate the Premier League’s top scorer when his team was so desperate for a goal.
“I’m surprised Mo Salah comes out, really. He doesn’t seem very happy himself. Liverpool need a goal and he is the Premier League’s top scorer.”
“When guys look disappointed, it’s not a problem,” he added. “I didn’t see what Mo did.”
“The reason for the substitution was that, and he could have changed other players as well, that’s true, but at the time it seemed like he really felt the intensity and didn’t want to risk it.”
“That’s it. I’ve known him for a long time and he’s very weird as he usually looks fresh.”
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Jamie Redknapp says Liverpool face an ‘uphill battle’ to finish in the top four after suffering a fifth straight loss at home
Tuchel: We want more
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Thomas Tuchel says his Chelsea team fully deserved their victory against Liverpool after a disciplined and courageous performance
Meanwhile, Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel is now 10 games unbeaten since replacing Frank Lampard and the team finished in ninth place.
But he’s not content with just moving to the top four and insists that settling just for qualifying for the Champions League is not an option.
“We don’t think this way,” he said. “We have already been in the top four after a win against Newcastle and we can’t lose focus watching the games all the time, it doesn’t help.
Liverpool have failed to win any of their last seven league games at home
“I know it is boring for you, but we have to prepare each game at the highest level, as this league does not allow you to go down one percent.
“If we want to move forward we have to refocus for Everton [on Monday] and nothing else and the rest will take care of itself.
“There are still 11 games to go, there is still a long way to go, we are in the race. We closed the gap very quickly and it is a great effort and now we are in the middle of the race and we have to keep going.
3:27
Jamie Carragher and Jamie Redknapp discuss how Thomas Tuchel has changed Chelsea’s season, following the Blues’ victory over Liverpool in the Premier League.
“But this league, the competition in the Champions League and the FA Cup, drives us and it is not the time to rest and relax too much.
“I have a hungry group and I am hungry and we are not done.”
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