Liverpool faced a setback in their quest for the title with a 0-0 draw against Manchester United on Sunday evening. Despite this, Jurgen Klopp believes that a key factor could propel the Reds to victory this season.
Klopp claims that Liverpool’s counter-pressing stands out as their most valuable weapon in the battle for the Premier League title.
Currently occupying the second position in the table, they trail just one point behind the current leaders, Arsenal, following the draw with Manchester United. Despite the stalemate, Klopp’s team showcased dominance in their performance against their fierce rivals, creating several promising opportunities.
Despite their efforts, securing the lead proved elusive as they settled for a single point at Anfield. Jurgen Klopp expressed admiration for his team’s display, asserting that their counter-pressing against the Red Devils was the most impressive it has been in recent seasons.
Speaking after Sunday’s stalemate, he said: “A lot of good things but the one thing I don’t like is the result. We had opportunities but we should’ve had more, better chances as well.
“The intensity of the game, everyone saw we really wanted it. The counter-pressing has probably been the best since this group was put together, we hardly let them out of their half in the first half.
“I can’t remember such a dominant performance against Man United – even the 7-0 last season they were more in the game. But it’s 0-0, they probably feel slightly better than us and for us, it’s taking the point and carrying on.”
Klopp expressed his conviction that Liverpool’s pursuit of the title hinges on their ability to effectively counter-press opposing teams throughout the remainder of the season.
The team, buoyed by their impressive 7-0 triumph over Man United last term, was widely expected to secure a commanding victory.
Asked if the game went as he expected, Klopp replied: “Yeah, like that. It was expected, if you play a tight style it’s difficult for the opposite team to get out of their own half and we should’ve had a few shots.
“Today we oversaw a few overlaps, a few square balls. The way United defended, it wasn’t perfectly organised but it was full of passion – and they defended well with passion, they flew at everything and they produced.
“We couldn’t calm down and see the free player that was there and couldn’t score. We didn’t change the dynamic of the game and in the end it’s a 0-0.”
Liverpool are eager to return to the path of victory in their upcoming weekend fixture, facing another challenging opponent. Their battleground will be Anfield next Saturday, where they extend a welcoming hand to title contenders Arsenal.
A win over Mikel Arteta’s squad could propel the Reds to the summit of the table. Conversely, a setback would see them trailing by four points in the relentless pursuit of the championship.
Notably, the Gunners currently enjoy a one-point advantage, having secured a 2-0 victory over Brighton in a match played earlier on Sunday.
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