Jurgen Klopp faced the media after a harrowing 3-1 defeat at Brentford, in which Liverpool’s defenders were physically bullied and its attack was wasteful in front of goal.
Klopp:
“It’s a wild game, it’s a game Brentford wants. I’m not sure you can really control it all the time because each corner is a massive threat. I said that before the game, it is really difficult to deal with.”
On referees and VAR:
“They stretch the rules in these moments. Full body contact, and there was only one offensive foul from a set piece tonight, which was whistled and was against us, which is really funny. They stretched the rules. That’s why it’s really difficult. VAR hides behind the phrase ‘not clear and obvious’. The referee needs to explain that.We had a meeting before the season. The behaviour in the box, the ref will whistle. They don’t do it. I don’t expect anything in our favour. There’s a reason Brentford are so successful with offensive set pieces and not defensive set pieces. Apart from that we concede the first goal in a moment where we should be 2-0 up.”
On Liverpool’s chances:
“Super chances from Darwin and Kostas. Kostas, pretty much in front of the goal. Darwin was not expecting Ben Mee to be still sliding there. His (Núñez) shooting technique can do better as well. Then we are 2-0 up and it is a different game. But we didn’t use them (chances). You are 1-0 down. You get away with an offside goal and then a set piece again (concede). So scrappy in these moments.”
“The next situation they play the ball in behind the line and that’s a massive situation for criticism. When we run in behind we were really dangerous. That chip from Thiago for Ox. If he (Ox) controlled the ball a little bit more he is alone and in front of the goal. We have these moments quite frequently and second half we knew we had to have them again and again.”
“It was more the game they wanted, they could dictate it because of the game of the way and how it got whistled and how the situations were. You cannot avoid set-pieces and each set-piece was a real threat.”
On Van Dijk:
“I hope it’s no injury with Virgil. We said no risk with the hamstring after treatment. He felt something but it isn’t an injury.”
