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Joel Matip of Liverpool celebrates scoring the winner with Virgil van Dijk, Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah during the UEFA Champions League group A match against Ajax at Anfield on September 13, 2022 in Liverpool. Picture: Marc Atkins/Getty Images
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said setbacks have become “typical” for the Premier League club after his side required a late winner to beat Ajax Amsterdam 2-1 in their Champions League Group A match at Anfield.
Mohamed Salah fired the home side ahead in the 17th minute, but their lead lasted just 10 minutes before Ajax pulled level with a stunning strike from Mohammed Kudus.
Liverpool, beaten 4-1 at Napoli in their group opener, looked to be heading for another disappointing result until centre-back Joel Matip scored in the 89th minute.
“You do a lot of good stuff, we played a really good game ... and then you concede, you are 1-0 up and you concede with the first chance of the opponent, the equaliser,” Klopp told reporters.
“So, that’s what I mean, it’s typical, like a proper setback.”
Klopp praised Liverpool’s reaction to the “incredible” leveller from Ajax.
“I was not surprised when they scored, not because we defended badly but because it’s pretty likely in situations like this,” he added.
“Pretty much every other shot [Alisson] would have saved, but this one was one you couldn’t save. The reaction to show that we are still able to show these kinds of things was the most important thing tonight.”
Liverpool will be relieved simply to have got the three points on the board after a difficult start to the season and their disastrous display in Naples.
“It is a first step, a very important step,” said Klopp.
“I think everybody could see that we understood and that we had to put in a completely different shift [to Naples]. The boys did that. We played a lot of good stuff against a hard-fighting opposition. Scored the first goal and should’ve scored more goals, from set pieces especially,” he said.
Ajax coach Alfred Schreuder said his side had struggled to cope with Liverpool’s “intensity”.
“It is not a disaster, but we have to learn from this,” he said. “We are still developing. There are several guys who have not played these kinds of matches. It is very good for them,” he added.
There will also have been some relief among Liverpool officials and the broader English football community that there was no chanting or booing during the prematch tribute to Queen Elizabeth.
There had been some concern that some Liverpool fans, who had booed Prince William at Wembley Stadium in May, would not respect the “period of silence”.
There was no serious disruption though a few isolated shouts did interrupt the silence which lasted only 25 seconds, rather than the usual one minute.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Setbacks there to be overcome, says Klopp
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said setbacks have become “typical” for the Premier League club after his side required a late winner to beat Ajax Amsterdam 2-1 in their Champions League Group A match at Anfield.
Mohamed Salah fired the home side ahead in the 17th minute, but their lead lasted just 10 minutes before Ajax pulled level with a stunning strike from Mohammed Kudus.
Liverpool, beaten 4-1 at Napoli in their group opener, looked to be heading for another disappointing result until centre-back Joel Matip scored in the 89th minute.
“You do a lot of good stuff, we played a really good game ... and then you concede, you are 1-0 up and you concede with the first chance of the opponent, the equaliser,” Klopp told reporters.
“So, that’s what I mean, it’s typical, like a proper setback.”
Klopp praised Liverpool’s reaction to the “incredible” leveller from Ajax.
“I was not surprised when they scored, not because we defended badly but because it’s pretty likely in situations like this,” he added.
“Pretty much every other shot [Alisson] would have saved, but this one was one you couldn’t save. The reaction to show that we are still able to show these kinds of things was the most important thing tonight.”
Liverpool will be relieved simply to have got the three points on the board after a difficult start to the season and their disastrous display in Naples.
“It is a first step, a very important step,” said Klopp.
“I think everybody could see that we understood and that we had to put in a completely different shift [to Naples]. The boys did that. We played a lot of good stuff against a hard-fighting opposition. Scored the first goal and should’ve scored more goals, from set pieces especially,” he said.
Ajax coach Alfred Schreuder said his side had struggled to cope with Liverpool’s “intensity”.
“It is not a disaster, but we have to learn from this,” he said. “We are still developing. There are several guys who have not played these kinds of matches. It is very good for them,” he added.
There will also have been some relief among Liverpool officials and the broader English football community that there was no chanting or booing during the prematch tribute to Queen Elizabeth.
There had been some concern that some Liverpool fans, who had booed Prince William at Wembley Stadium in May, would not respect the “period of silence”.
There was no serious disruption though a few isolated shouts did interrupt the silence which lasted only 25 seconds, rather than the usual one minute.
Reuters
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