Klopp reveals what Liverpool could not deal with amid poke at record-breaking star
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp felt Brentford were good value for their 3-3 draw and took a slight dig at Mohamed Salah despite his record-breaking performance.
The Reds were firm favourites to emerge from Brentford Community Stadium with all three points but had to settle for just one. After being pegged back early on, the Bees took the lead through Ethan Pinnock. Diogo Jota soon restored parity and ensured the sides were level at the break.
Salah then netted his 100th Premier League goal for Liverpool to give them the lead. Vitaly Janelt converted from close range after Pontus Jansson’s effort struck the bar to bring the sides level again.
Curtis Jones’s deflected long-range effort looked set to send the points to Merseyside. But Yoane Wissa equalised once again with eight minutes left on the clock to send the home faithful crazy.
After the dust settled on the encounter, Klopp confessed that the hosts earned the right to take a point.
“They deserved their three goals for the way they played,” he told Sky Sports. “We obviously couldn’t deal with the long balls today but we should have scored more goals.
“They deserved it. I don’t think you can control them much better, we created a lot of clear-cut chances but couldn’t deal with them defensively.
“These things happen. We should have scored more. If we win 3-2 or 4-3 we still have these struggles defensively.”
And the German coach refused to blame the west London outfit for their long-ball tactics.
“I have no problem with accepting when you play this kind of football. That’s football. You have to create things to deserve to win,” he added.
“They deserved a point as well because they put up a proper fight. I respect that a lot. In the end there were situations we should do better – and then it could be a completely different game. Their goalie should have number 10 on his shirt with the balls that he played.”
Klopp wants more from record-breaker Salah
Salah is now in his fifth season with the north-west giants after moving from Roma in the summer of 2017. He was an immediate hit, bagging 32 top-flight goals during his first season.
The Egypt international sat on 99 league goals heading into the match but now has three figures to his name. He wasted a gilt-edged chance to score Liverpool’s fourth towards the end of the contest.
And Klopp refused to get too emotional over his star striker’s feat, preferring to focus on what might have been.
“I’m sure Mo sees it the same way, he would love to have 101 today,” he continued. “There were many good moments football-wise against a tricky set-up but we could not defend when the goalie chips the balls forward.”
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