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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has compared his side’s thrilling 2-2 draw at Manchester City to a ‘boxing match’ and believes the point his side picked up was ‘deserved’, with the share of the spoils keeping them on the tails of the table toppers.
Both teams exchanged four goals in a Premier League classic, with Sadio Mane’s neat finish less than a minute after the second-half restart the game’s decisive act, and the Reds manager admitted he enjoyed the visitors’ performance.
Indeed, he believes that the rollercoaster encounter at the Etihad was akin to two heavyweights looking to exploit each other’s weaknesses.
Speaking post-match, he said: ‘Wild. The first half was City. That’s how it is. I think we can describe it as a boxing fight. Arms down for a second and you get a massive knock. I liked a lot of things. I think we were closer than ever.
‘In the second half we started much better. City tried to use the balls in behind. They have these smart runs.
‘We were lucky with the goal they scored. It was offside but it was close.’
Kevin De Bruyne had opened the scoring in the thriller after just five minutes, with his powerful drive from the edge of the box whistling past Alisson and into the far corner. However, midway through the first half, Diogo Jota slotted in an equaliser.
There was still time before the break for Gabriel Jesus to finish beyond Alisson with aplomb before Mane levelled the scoreline and sealed Liverpool a point.
‘We showed the goals we scored in the past against City it’s always when we pass through the gaps,’ Klopp added. ‘We could have done better but we did a lot of moments well. The game was crazy, oh my God. I liked it.’
On several occasions, the Reds appeared shaky at the back, and boss Klopp is keen for them to become stronger. He also admitted to wanting his side to play ‘proper football’ after they struggled for large parts of the first half.
He said: ‘We showed the goal (at half time). I had the sense that we can win the game. We have problems when they play. They had more direct ideas than us. Defensively we were a little bit in a rush. We can defend these situations better.
‘I wanted us to play proper football more often than in the first half. It’s probably not possible all the time.
‘It’s really smart how City counter-attack. They pick always the right player.
‘I think it’s completely fine, a deserved draw.’
The result keeps City narrowly ahead at the top-flight summit, with both heavyweights having just seven games remaining until the end of the season.
On the title race, Klopp added: ‘Premier League, seven games to go for both teams, we will not stop chasing.
‘Now we have two different competitions before we start the Premier League again.’
Vincent Paul
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