The joy of victory over Arsenal did not last long for Jurgen Klopp on Monday night with the Liverpool manager having some choice words for Sky Sports pundit Roy Keane.
Former United midfielder Keane had been largely full of praise for the champions after their 3-1 win but pointed out they had been “sloppy” at times.
“Did I hear right that Mr Keane said we had a sloppy performance tonight? Did he say that? This was a sloppy performance tonight? Maybe he spoke about another game. It cannot be this game, sorry,” said Klopp.
“That’s an incredible description of this game. This was absolutely exceptional. Nothing was sloppy, absolutely nothing. It was, from the first second, dominant against a team in form, 100 per cent in form.”
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— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) September 28, 2020
Keane responded: “I think you might have misheard me. I said there were sloppy moments but I think you have been outstanding.”
Had Lacazette been sharper in front of goal he could have made it 2-2 in a one-on-one with Alisson and when he was substituted 15 minutes from time he covered his face with shirt as he sat down on the bench.
Keane later said of Klopp: “Very sensitive, wasn’t he? Jesus, imagine if he’d lost.”
When later asked by print journalists whether his reaction to Keane was overly harsh, Klopp said: “I was not harsh. I came to the mike and didn’t see them talking, I only heard them on a speaker and I heard ‘sloppy.’
“In that moment I misunderstood it obviously, so no problem. I just asked, ‘Did he say that?’ And obviously he didn’t say it [like I thought]. It is all fine. I didn’t see us being sloppy in defending. The defending was good. You cannot defend against Arsenal for 90 minutes with the quality they have.”
Sadio Mane, Andy Robertson and Diogo Jota, on his home debut, all scored after Lacazette had been gifted the opener following a Robertson error.
Victory made it 61 home league matches unbeaten for Liverpool – just two short of the club record set by Bob Paisley’s all-conquering side between 1978-81.
Jota’s late strike made it 400 goals in 185 league matches for Klopp, faster than any other Liverpool manager, and they should have probably had more.
“We don’t make statements – in press conferences from time to time I have to do it because you ask questions,” said Klopp.
“We have to improve. We have to become consistent. So far we have played quite well but that’s all.
“It was good, a really good game, I pretty much loved each second – I didn’t like the goal we conceded but the reaction I liked a lot.
“Against a top team in form, playing like we did tonight, it is really something to be honest.
“We were dominant, played good football, were difficult to defend against, played some really good stuff.
“Arsenal had not too many but some chances because they have real quality, I think most of their chances were offside but Ali (Alisson Becker) made a save any way.
“It was a really good performance.”
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