Jurgen Klopp opens up on Liverpool’s slow start to games

Ahead of Liverpool’s next league game against Crystal Palace at Anfield on Monday, manager Jurgen Klopp was speaking in a pre-match press conference. He opened up on the club’s inability to start games on the front foot of late.

As per the Liverpool Echo, the German admits to being aware of the club’s slow start to games. He however spoke of the media selecting selective stats to run a narrative and certainly had some strong words to say about it.

After 55 games [last season] you tell me we start slow!? You cannot play 63 games and be always superior, you fight through it somehow. We need to be awake before it starts. I don’t like you find one thing in the stats and tell me it as though it’s the truth, it’s not.

Liverpool began their Premier League campaign with a 2-2 draw against Fulham. The manager was visibly not happy after the game, blaming the slow start and attitude of his players.

He addressed that in this presser, mentioning how it is important to maintain concentration from kickoff. Liverpool cannot afford to concede cheap points especially when up against an opponent like Manchester City.

The Reds also lost Thiago Alcanata to injury. While the Spaniard is unavailable for action in the upcoming weeks, Naby Keita’s return to training gives Klopp options to choose from.

The manager was also asked about the new signing Darwin Nunez and his linkup with Mohamed Salah. Clearly, the pre-season link-up is now working wonders.

Klopp also touched on how it was not Roberto Firmino’s fault for the player not being able to impact the game against Fulham. His reasoning was that the team did not find the Brazilian forward enough because the centre was blocked off more often than not.

In other injury news, the boss confirmed that left-back Kostas Tsimikas could be back in training today, while Thiago’s injury extent is four to six weeks. If anything our injury scenario is only getting better.

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Liverpool will be looking to hit back after a slow start to their season. Monday will be the first game of the season at Anfield, that too a night kick-off. Expect a rousing atmosphere and the team responding to that with a fast start against Patrick Vieira’s Crystal Palace.