"Minute 83, Adrian thought, 'I've played really well so I have to make a mistake like Alisson did'," jokes Jurgen Klopp
Saturday 17 August 2019 23:10, UK
Jurgen Klopp laughed off goalkeeper Adrian's error against Southampton as following in regular number-one Alisson's footsteps.
Adrian's clearance, which struck Danny Ings before going in, ended up only costing Liverpool a clean sheet in their 2-1 win.
However, Klopp may have been in less jovial mood had former Reds striker Ings made a good connection on a late Yan Valery cross, with the Saints man missing the glorious chance to level.
Adrian had been a doubt to play at St Mary's because of an injury suffered when a fan knocked him over while celebrating Liverpool's Super Cup win on Wednesday night, but passed a late fitness test to start ahead of 35-year-old stand-in Andy Lonergan.
"Minute 83, Adrian thought, 'I've played really well so I have to make a mistake like Ali did and keep the game a little bit open'," Klopp joked.
"I said to him, 'Finally, it arrived, welcome'. Ali did the same, obviously it is a goalie thing at Liverpool. I have no problem with that as long as we win the game.
"Adrian had a swollen ankle, we played too many balls back to him in that period. I was happy with everything he did today, all the saves he made, all the other stuff.
"The other players need to feel the responsibility for the build-up for the balls back for him.
"He is good with his feet and if you would have seen his ankle on Thursday when we left the plane, then you would say that pass for the goal was better than you would have expected. It is all fine."
Liverpool looked as though the 4,000-mile round trip for their penalty shoot-out win over Chelsea in Istanbul on Wednesday had taken its toll in the first half, and Klopp referenced their long week in his post-match comments.
But he insisted their sluggish start had not been connected to their long week of travel and said Southampton had been the source of their frustration instead.
"Southampton are a good team. They defend well, they had good counter-attacks, good organisation," he said.
"This afternoon it was difficult again, nothing to do with the game midweek. I said before the game if we had come here with two weeks' preparation it would have been difficult.
"I liked the game a lot. It is not allowed to think too much about Wednesday but I know it, so I was really impressed with how fresh we looked, at the start especially, just how good we were.
"We deserved to win."
