Jurgen Klopp insists he is happy his team didn’t get “frustrated” and lost “like men” after their shocking 3-0 defeat against Watford.
The Reds’ hopes of a remarkable invincible season were scuppered at Vicarage Road on the Leap Day in what was a fascinating evening of Premier League football.
Liverpool finally lose: Five things to know…
- This defeat was Liverpool’s first in 44 Premier League games.
- Nigel Pearson is the first English manager to beat Liverpool since Sam Allardyce did it with Crystal Palace in April 2017.
- Liverpool’s defeat was the heaviest suffered by a team top of the top-flight table against an opponent in the relegation zone since Leicester beat Manchester United 3-0 in 1985.
- Ismaila Sarr is the first player to be involved in 3+ goals against Liverpool in the PL since Harry Kane in October 2017.
- The loss means that Liverpool’s lead at the top is in danger of being cut to just 19 points.
It was an evening in Watford that few, particularly Arsenal fans, will forget in a hurry.
Watford were the better team in the first half but their failure to turn their dominance into goals led many to believe that Liverpool would bounce back and make them pay, as they have done on many occasions this season.
However, that wasn’t the case. Ismaila Sarr gave the Hornets the lead after some uncharacteristically shoddy defending by the soon-to-be champions before expertly chipping Alisson to double their lead. He then turned provider as Troy Deeney sealed a famous win that gave Nigel Pearson and his side a huge boost in their bid for survival.
Liverpool will surely still go on to win the league but the rare loss is a disappointing one. It meant that they failed to break Manchester City’s record of 18 consecutive league wins, only equalling it, as well as falling five short of Arsenals 49-game undefeated run. They also missed the chance to become just the second team to end a Premier League season undefeated.
There are still records in sight, such as the most wins in a season and the most points, but they missed their chance of becoming the undisputed best team the Premier League has ever seen.
Subscribe to Squawka’s Youtube channel here.
Klopp remains positive
It’s hardly a surprise that Klopp was upbeat after the game – besides, his team have been nearly faultless all season.
He said: “They did exactly what they wanted to do, we did not. That’s how football works.
“The first half was a tough one, a lot of second balls, running here and there, we had the ball a lot but we didn’t come in the right positions to cross, the right positions to finish, against a really good, organised side, with a top set-up for this game.
“You have to accept it, it’s not so easy, but it’s the proof we were not good enough tonight. It’s always very difficult. We have to accept if after. In the game, you have to fight. We were 3-0 down but we still tried, there were no silly situations where somebody got frustrated and tried to kick someone.
“If you win good, if you lose, try to do it in the right manner and do it like a man.”