Darwin already “s/u/p/e/r important”
Back in the starting lineup after missing the trip to Palace with a shoulder i/n/j/u/r/y, Darwin Nunez was lively and even had a goal chalked off.
His importance to the side hasn’t been lost on supporters or the manager.
“He’s really getting there, everyone can see he’s just a handful and a proper t/h/r/e/a/t. The goal he scored was a s/u/p/e/r reaction, a s/u/p/e/r finish,” Klopp said.
“Still a young boy and everyone can see we will get there but already for us, s/u/p/e/r important.”
A positive night all around
We all needed that victory after the last two results and the Reds walked away with a list of positives, even if the match wasn’t a classic.
“A good performance for us and a really important one, and, of course, a clean sheet which is extremely helpful,” he said.
“These are all positives for us, all good.”
Darwin Nunez was lively and even had a goal chalked off
A timely Virgil boost
Virgil van Dijk has not been short of criticism of late but his goal and all-around performance was just the boost he needed. But it wasn’t just his captain on the night that Klopp was impressed with.
“We all need that [boost], [Virgil] needs that as well. In a tough game for defenders, I thought we played a really good game in general,” he said.
“The centre-halves and Fabinho together, how they covered that area, denied counter-attacks and defended into midfield, I thought they did really well.”
“I still think it was a goal, but…”
Nunez looked to have scored the opener, only for Paul Tierney to consult the pitchside monitor and rule out the goal.
Diogo Jota was adjudged to have committed a foul, but perhaps it was the other way around as where was he to go?
“When you see it in slow motion, you see the contact then but I still think it was a goal, but that’s not important anymore,” Klopp said.
“Players don’t have replays but for them, it’s a clear goal. You have to react [to setback].”
Thankfully we did just that!
Virgil van Dijk
Next up, Man United
There’s four days until Man United make the trip to Anfield and Klopp knows a stern test awaits, but Liverpool have Anfield on their side.
“In the best possible way but, in the end, still a different game and a big challenge for us,” the manager said.
“It’s a home game, it’s Anfield. I thought Anfield proved a point again tonight, it was s/u/p/e/r, s/u/p/e/r enjoyable. It felt like a proper unit, all together – I love that.
“That’s what we need again on Sunday.”
Julen Lopetegui reacts to Liverpool defeat and Fabinho incident that infuriated Wolves players
Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Julen Lopetegui on the touchline at Anfield
Julen Lopetegui admits his Wolverhampton Wanderers side didn’t deserve anything at Anfield as Liverpool claimed a 2-0 win.
Second half goals from Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah handed Liverpool all three points. Wolves only had one shot on target at Anfield as Liverpool avenged their 3-0 defeat at Molineux last month.
“It was frustrating because we didn’t get anything and because we didn’t deserve to get anything,” said Lopetegui. “Maybe the first half was more balanced but in the second half we didn’t keep the rhythm they demand.
“When they scored it was more difficult. It’s a pity we lost, but we have to change our minds very fast because in three days we have another very important match.”
With the game tied at 0-0, there was an incident between Mario Lemina and Liverpool midfielder Fabinho which incensed Wolves’ players. Lemina lunged in on Fabinho, whose studs planted into the back of the Wolves man’s leg.
Liverpool beats Wolves 2-0, closes in on 4th place in EPL
Wolves players crowded around referee Paul Tierney and VAR checked the incident. Fabinho received a yellow card rather than the red Wolves’ players and supporters hoped for.
On the incident, Lopetegui said: “I didn’t see the action so I cannot answer you. I don’t want to talk about the referee, my feeling is that I have to talk about my team. We have to do better and we can do better. We are going to do better.”