ReactionJürgen Klopp press conference: Aston Villa draw, Liverpool's away support and Andy Robertson injury
Read a round-up from Jürgen Klopp's post-match press conference following Liverpool's 3-3 draw with Aston Villa in the Premier League.
The Reds had to share the points at Villa Park on Monday night after two late goals from the home side saw the game end level.
Liverpool opened the scoring inside two minutes with an Emiliano Martinez own goal, which was then cancelled out by Youri Tielemans' strike.
Efforts from Cody Gakpo and Jarell Quansah put the visitors 3-1 up before Jhon Duran's double in the final five minutes left the match all square.
Read on to see what the boss had to say afterwards...
On the result and Liverpool's performance...
I don't feel frustrated. Maybe I should, but I just don't. I am really happy. Look, we all saw these kind of games before; we all saw games where one team is playing for absolutely everything – qualifying for the Champions League probably means for Aston Villa everything – and one team is already fixed in the position they are in. The challenge we had today was we had to show character and attitude – and the boys showed sensational character and sensational attitude. I loved that.
That you can dominate the game like we did here today and against a [good] team, Unai Emery teams [are] historically sensationally well-organised. They wanted to be aggressive and they wanted to go for us and they couldn't because we were that flexible, I liked that a lot. We scored early with some scrappy thing, I don't know exactly how the ball went over the line – I didn't see it properly from my position and couldn't watch it back yet. Their first chance is then the equaliser but around that we controlled it, we play well, we create, we mix it up really well, in behind, in between and I liked it a lot. We adapted to the ideas they had, we improved our protection because the counter-attacking threat was obviously there, but we adjusted to that and it was good. Two-one, nice goal, second half, again good, not a big change and they all of a sudden push us back or whatever.
[Then] 3-1, wonderful. Then we get a bit tired, the organisation gets a bit loose and they create too much. That's the moment where you can change. That's what we did and we had immediately after the change two or three good situations – one really good situation I think with Dom [Szoboszlai] in the six-yard box. Then we make the mistake for the 3-2, give the ball away there, and then the gates were open and it was Aston Villa really smelling the chance again. They took the point and that's how it is, not great but you can make of it what you want, that it's the story of the season or whatever. I don't see it like that.
For me, the story of the season is that the boys have really, really good character and a sensational attitude – that's why we were here today and that's why we have now 79 points. I know nobody wants to hear it, but being this season the third-best team in the league from where we came from is a statement as well. It's improvement with a lot of changes and I like it. I am not over the moon about it but obviously for a week or two we've had to accept we cannot be the best or the second-best team in the league, [but] that's a good basis for the future and that's all you can ask for.
On his reception from the travelling fans at the end of the game...
I enjoyed it always. I enjoyed it today. I still don't feel that it's the last time or whatever. I know it's the last time, it just doesn't feel it. I am obviously more professional than I thought because I was completely in the game. [I] didn't think a second about [the fact] it's my last away game or whatever. I had no movie going, nothing. I didn't think about my first game, somebody told me now, I know it's Tottenham, but someone asked me about that. No, I was completely in the game, but I appreciate so much what these boys and girls are doing. The away fans were always absolutely insane. What they did, where they were, we asked them to travel a lot over the years. It was a wonderful relationship, is a wonderful relationship! I always try to show my appreciation and today the boys showed that as well with the way they played.
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On the positives from the season, such as the development of Harvey Elliott, along with the amount of young players brought through...
I am allowed to see just the good bits of it. If you carry on, you have to think about what didn't go well because then you have to make changes, adjustments, whatever, but that's obviously not me. The good things, yes, I said it before. It's interesting Harvey came through [in the question], Harvey is already in his third season, if not the fourth. He's already a while here, he was already the best player and badly injured and stuff like this. But, yes, a good game today. Jarell, yes, Conor [Bradley], yes, James McConnell, Bobby Clark, Kaide Gordon, [he was] long, long injured [but] back now, really good, Stefan Bajcetic. So, the basis is there, and all the other big guns really; the basis is there. New influences always help, that's how it is. We did what we could and if we could have done better, we probably would have, let me say it like that. Now we are where we are and that's it.
On the absence of Andy Robertson at Villa Park...
I saw him this morning and he told me he is ready to train from tomorrow on. That's the situation.