Jurgen Klopp has accepted responsibility for Liverpool’s last-gasp Champions League defeat to Napoli, admitting their performance at Stadio San Paolo was ‘not like it should have looked’.
Despite failing to muster a single shot on target across 90 minutes, the Reds looked set for a valuable away point that would have put significantly boosted their chances of qualifying for the knockout stages ahead of Napoli.
However, Lorenzo Insigne’s injury-time tap-in consigned the visitors to a result that matched their uncharacteristically poor showing in Naples.
Speaking in his post-match press conference, Klopp admitted he has yet to pinpoint the exact reasons for his side’s defeat, but conceded that they weren’t at their best tactically.
He said: “The start of the game was OK, then the timing for our defensive movements were not good enough, we didn't close the spaces in the right moment, we didn't react in the right situation and so they could play through our formation.
In Pictures | Napoli vs Liverpool | 03/10/2018
“Things like this happen but not as often as they did tonight and it costs energy. We had to fight really hard. Then when you have the ball you have to play much calmer.
“There was not that much pressure from Napoli. If you looked how we played you would have thought they were always on us - we could have played calmer but we didn't, so we didn’t create a lot of chances.
“The first half was kind of OK but the second half was not good enough and it's always a bad sign to say when you goalkeeper is your best player. But it was obvious tonight.
“Then in the 89th minute we make another tactical mistake, we didn't close the gap between Joe and Virgil, and then we cannot react any more.
“We didn’t concede a lot of goals this season but that is the second time we have conceded the same kind of goal. I think we should sort that immediately.
“I have to accept that a big part of that performance was my fault for sure but I need at least one night to watch it again and see exactly what was the fault, but it was not like it should have looked.”
Next up for Klopp & Co. is a daunting meeting with Premier League champions Manchester City at Anfield on Sunday.
But the German is promising a ‘100 per cent different’ game with the Reds’ passionate home support behind them.
He added: “It is a tough game, absolutely. It is absolutely intense since the last international break. We cannot change that so we have to make sure we are ready.
“You were all full praise of our season and then tonight we didn't perform. That happens.
“We don't have to think about intensity. We have three days to recover and then we will face Man City.
“It would've been difficult anyway at any time of the season, it is always difficult. Let’s have a look how the players are after the game and then we will prepare. Then we have our crowd at our backs.
“Tonight you could see Napoli used the atmosphere and we couldn't calm it down but on Sunday it will be 100 per cent different.”
