It was a brave performance: Klopp hails players after 'special' win over Tottenham
Jan 29, 2021
London [UK], January 29 : Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said he is "completely happy" with his team's "brave performance" against Tottenham which earned them a 3-1 victory.
Liverpool were witnessing a poor run of form in the Premier League, going five matches without a win. However, Klopp's men produced a stunning performance against Tottenham to take three points from the game.
"It is always a mix and that the boys want to do well, it's clear; that we as coaches have to tell them what they have to do together in specific moments is clear as well. I am completely happy about the performance and, yes, it's about the boys. They put a proper shift in. It was a brave performance in a game against a counter-attacking monster, which they are, and that makes it even more special. For tonight, it was really good," the club's official website quoted Klopp as saying when asked about the factors behind the performance.
During the match, Liverpool took the lead in first-half stoppage time as Sadio Mane squared for Roberto Firmino to slot in from close range. Trent Alexander-Arnold made it 2-0 in the 47th minute, fizzing a shot into the far corner after Hugo Lloris could only parry Mane's shot into his path.
Tottenham responded immediately as Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg scored with a powerful strike, taking the scoreline to 2-1. However, Liverpool managed to restore their two-goal lead with Mane's strike in the 65th minute.
Klopp further said: "We made great runs, scored obviously the first goal in a perfect moment pretty much, scored the goal [and] could go into half-time in the dressing room. We got aware of the struggle of Joel Matip with his ankle, so no chance to play on, so then we tried to tell the boys that it would make sense to do a couple of things again. They did and fought really hard, made a proper, proper fight of it the whole night and I'm really happy about that, and played football. So, good game, deserved win, good."
The result moves Liverpool to fourth place in the Premier League standings with 37 points, four points behind leaders Manchester City. Tottenham are placed in the sixth position with 33 points.
