It was a happy Jurgen Klopp that fronted the media after the 2-0 win over Wolves, with Darwin Nunez and Anfield coming in for praise.
Here are five key points from the manager’s post-Wolves press conference…
Darwin already “super important”
Back in the starting lineup after missing the trip to Palace with a shoulder injury, 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 threat. The goal he scored was a super reaction, a super finish,” Klopp said.
“Still a young boy and everyone can see we will get there but already for us, super 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.”
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!
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 super, super enjoyable. It felt like a proper unit, all together – I love that.
“That’s what we need again on Sunday.”
