Liverpool beat Spurs 2-1 thanks to second-half goals from Jordan Henderson and Mo Salah
Sunday 27 October 2019 21:17, UK
Jurgen Klopp said Liverpool's comeback victory against Tottenham was his side at their very best as they regained a six-point lead at the top of the Premier League.
After Harry Kane's first-minute opener stunned Anfield, Liverpool fought back in the second half through Jordan Henderson and Mo Salah's penalty. It means Klopp's side stay unbeaten.
Liverpool were intense and played at 100mph for large parts of the contest, and the German said he "loved" the game, and insisted it epitomised what football should look like.
Klopp told Sky Sports: "It was a super game, I loved it. That was us at our best, we started well but conceded a goal immediately which was a bit unlucky but that's how Tottenham are - their counter-attacks are incredible. They got the goal, but you couldn't see the influence of it in my team which was the best thing from them.
"We were in charge though and pushed them back apart from the last five minutes. Apart from that it was a super game, I loved it."
He then said in his post-match press conference: "That's how football should look, how we should play against a strong, organised side, with the threat that every ball you lose could end up in front of your own goal.
"The counter-press was exceptional, we wanted to be really special and strong in that department. I loved that, it was really, really good. We won it, and we deserved it, and I'm really happy about the performance."
Liverpool have dropped just two points in 10 games this season, with plenty of title talk after falling just short to Manchester City last term.
But Klopp refused to be drawn into it, and again referenced a tricky spell coming up in November and December, which he deemed to be the "hardest period" before the game.
"We need to play really, really well. We're now on 28 points, blah blah, but you need to think what would have happened if we'd have lost today, how the questions would have been.
"We know exactly what we have to do. We have to be focused and concentrate on specific games. A lot to come, but so far, so good."
Virgil van Dijk came out of the dressing room with ice on his leg and Mo Salah left the pitch with a limp after full-time, but Klopp said there is not much to worry about.
"Virgil got a dead leg," Klopp told Sky Sports. "Mo is the same ankle, it just gets sore the longer the game goes on. It's not a massive issue, that will disappear one day, but it's still a bit there at the moment."
Mauricio Pochettino's Spurs are down in 11th after 10 games, eight points off the Champions League places they have now become accustomed to.
But Pochettino says his side are making small steps of improvement, despite having won just once in five Premier League games.
He told Sky Sports: "We are going to keep going, stay positive, step by step. We have the belief, and the confidence, but we didn't find a way to keep the possession.
"A lot of positive things to take. It's difficult to say it's a step forward because we lose the game, but yes, the way the form was in the last few months, it was a small step improving against the best team in Europe."
Pochettino also had no real complaints over the award of the winning penalty, which saw Serge Aurier kick the back of Sadio Mane's leg.
"It's an action, I don't want to complain, because I accept the decision from the referee and VAR. Technically it is a penalty, because there is contact, but to be honest, the ball is going away from goal," he said.
"It's a soft penalty, but we need to respect the decision."
Liverpool now host Arsenal in the Carabao Cup round of 16 on Wednesday at 7.30pm, live on Sky Sports Football, before going to Aston Villa in the Premier League on Saturday at 3pm. Tottenham are at Everton on Super Sunday, live on Sky Sports Premier League and Main Event at 4.30pm.
