Jurgen Klopp spoke of both confidence and pressure after Liverpool struggled to regain a winning position before abandoning it at the end of a 3-3 draw against Brighton.
Here are four key points from the manager when he spoke to the press after the draw:
A reminder of the “heart attack” days
One of the biggest issues many fans have with this current iteration of Liverpool is how starkly it contrasts with the successful years that have just passed.
However, as Klopp pointed out, the performances of late bear strong similarities to his first days in charge.
“If you watch football games long enough here, we had these kinds of situations years ago where we were only one goal up and it happened quite often that everyone almost had a heart attack,” he said.
“We just weren’t convincing in these moments, where then we get a counterattack, being compact, this kind of thing.
“That’s what it reminded me of a little bit today.
“So I can’t say I was 100 per cent convinced that we wouldn’t concede a goal when we were 3-2 up.”
“Really horrible to see”
Another problem that has crept into Liverpool’s game is the ease with which they allow opponents to pass through them and see Alisson’s goal: Brighton had six shots, all on target.
There is a lack of confidence and conviction regardless of Liverpool’s position in the match, and against Brighton it was seen as “horrendous”.
“They were really dangerous,” Klopp said.
“Then we had much better moments and I think it was absolutely fine that we were 3-2 up, but then we weren’t sitting deep, we weren’t attacking high, we were somewhere in the middle, and that’s how they got their moments. .
“I don’t know how I saw situations today where offensive players could spin between the lines. Horrendous, really horrible to watch.”
Liverpool are “under pressure”
With just 10 points on the board, it’s no secret the pressure is mounting for Liverpool to prove to be a shadow of their former selves.
But this team now needs to rediscover the art of enjoying the pressure instead of crumbling under its weight.
“We’re under pressure. We’re not ignoring it. It’s not like we’re increasing it every day, but it’s there,” he said.
“We want to do much better, we want to have more points, we want to be in a different area of the table. That’s all clear.
However, the conversation must be done in the field.
“The process has already started”
There was a consistent message throughout Klopp’s press conference that Liverpool need to “move on” to solve their problems.
Whether the fixture list is a help or a hindrance in that regard is up for debate, but the manager insists work has already started to prepare for Rangers’ Champions League visit.
“It is a moment. We have to really, really move on together. This is all I can say.
“We have to improve, that only happens if we act. We have to act more consistently. I can’t say what everyone wants to hear right now, it’s just reality.
“Like I said, that process has already started, interrupted by press conferences or interviews, but starting tonight, we’ll prepare for the Rangers, then we’ll try to do better.”
That game is in just three days.
