Jurgen Klopp delivers verdict on Liverpool’s dismal 1-0 defeat at Bournemouth

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp could not hide his frustration when analysing his side’s deflating 1-0 defeat against lowly Bournemouth at Vitality Stadium today.

Following last weekend’s euphoric feat when they thumped Manchester United 7-0 at Anfield, Klopp watched as his side succumbed to defeat against the relegation-threatened Cherries.

Philip Billing latched on to Dango Ouattara’s cutback to put Gary O’Neil’s side ahead inside the first half an hour.

Liverpool failed to find a response throughout the rest of the game, with Mohamed Salah fluffing his lines from the penalty spot in the second half.

When asked if he was disappointed with his side’s performance, Klopp told reporters in his post-match conference (via Liverpoolfc.com): “I am – very. The game was pretty much the opposite of what we wanted to show and do today.

“We scored a goal which was disallowed for offside but was anyway a good situation, well played, had other situations in a similar manner. 

“I thought we started OK in the second half, were a bit clearer in our situations, get a penalty, miss the penalty. 

“Now it’s of course hypothetical – it looked a little bit for me like if we score there, it doesn’t make the game better from the first half, but it would give us a proper boost. Very, very, very frustrating, yeah.”

Klopp then weighed in on the controversy surrounding BBC’s decision to suspend Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker following his social media comments on the United Kingdom government’s language over its asylum policy.

“I’m not native, but I cannot see why you would ask someone to step back for saying that,” Klopp said (via the Independent).

“I’m not sure if it is a language issue, but that is the world we live in. Everybody wants to be so concerned about doing things in the right manner, saying the right stuff. 

“If you don’t do that then you create a debacle – it is a really difficult world to live in. If I understand it right, it is a message, an opinion about human rights, and that should be possible to say.”

The defeat on the south coast sums up Liverpool’s campaign. One matchday, they’re up for a contest – the next, they’re a shadow of their former selves.

The inconsistency that has plagued their disappointing season has left them scrambling in the top-four race. However, despite faltering at every turn, they are not far away.

Although six points separate them from fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur, Klopp’s side have a game in hand, and securing a victory puts them within touching distance.

A trip to the revered Santiago Bernabeu, where they will face reigning European champions Real Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League last 16 tie, also awaits the Reds.

Having suffered a 5-2 humiliation in front of their own fans in the reverse fixture, Wednesday’s contest will likely formalise Liverpool’s exit from the Champions League.