Jurgen Klopp 'concerned' but says injury-hit Liverpool should have beaten Manchester United at Old Trafford
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Updated 23/08/2022 at 13:06 GMT
Liverpool are without a win from their first three games of the Premier League season after losing 2-1 to Manchester United at Old Trafford. Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford struck for Erik ten Hag's side while Mohamed Salah scored late for Liverpool, whose manager Jurgen Klopp said they are in a "tricky situation injury-wise" and added United were "more aggressive" than his team.
Anti-Glazer protest outside Old Trafford ahead of Liverpool game
Jurgen Klopp admitted he is “concerned” by Liverpool’s winless start to the Premier League season, even though he thinks they should have beaten Manchester United.
Liverpool made a sloppy start to the game and were punished when Jadon Sancho fired home inside the box.
Marcus Rashford scored on the counter to make it 2-0 in the second half and Liverpool struggled to create many chances before Mohamed Salah headed in.
Despite a below-par showing, Liverpool manager Klopp told Sky Sports: “We should have won this game, I know it sounds ridiculous but that is how I saw it.”
Liverpool have taken just two points from their first three games of the season after drawing against Fulham and Crystal Palace.
Their performance at Old Trafford was particularly surprising after United were beaten 4-0 by Brentford the previous weekend.
“They were really aggressive in the beginning, it was clear what will happen,” added Klopp.
“They were more aggressive than us and they hit the post early on. They scored the goal and we took over and played the game we wanted to play. We were unlucky with situations against an opponent like United, it would have been helpful to score and go 1-1 at half-time.
"The second goal does not help, then it was a hectic game after our goal, definitely not the result we wanted.
"When we calmed down we had an extreme number of shots for an away game at United. We should use more of these moments, in the second half David de Gea made a fantastic save. If you score then the game turns, then we did not have enough time or power in the end.
"We had to keep chasing the game and that is not what you want to do. It makes it difficult with their counter-attacking threat. The second goal is hard to take, it was offside, but we have to work with it.”
Liverpool were without several first-team players, including Darwin Nunez due to suspension and Naby Keita, Diogo Jota and Thiago due to injury.
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Jadon Sancho celebrates scoring against Liverpool
Image credit: Getty Images
"We are in a tricky situation injury-wise,” said Klopp. “We got through the week with 14, 15 senior players available and now have to make sure they don't get injured.
"I am concerned about our situation, but that is how it is. We prepare for Bournemouth and Newcastle now."
Liverpool defender Andy Robertson was forthright in his assessment of the start to the season, declaring it “really poor”.
“We’ve given every team a one-goal start, you can’t keep on giving yourself an uphill battle,” he told Sky Sports.
“We conceded an early goal again, started slowly again. In the warm-up it was the quietest I have ever heard this stadium, they wanted something to lift them and we unfortunately gave them it and the players reacted. We started the second half slow and fell 2-0 behind.
“We need to pick up our performances individually and collectively very quickly and we need to kick-start our season that’s for sure.
“We can’t keep conceding goals. We have to be the team that starts the game well and puts pressure on the other team, not the other way around.
“Of course we are frustrated. We want to win games and just now it’s not happening. It’s important we stick together. We are all in it together and things will get better. We need to get results quickly.”
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