Liverpool ‘didn’t enjoy the challenge’ at Bournemouth, admits Jurgen Klopp as Reds suffer blow in top-four hunt

Liverpool missed the opportunity of leapfrogging Tottenham into the Premier League’s top four, with Philip Billing’s first-half goal proving the difference.

Aside from Mohamed Salah’s missed penalty in the second period, The Reds rarely threatened the division’s worst defence.

“What can I say? It was never really our game,” Klopp told BT Sport. “We were dominant in the first half but mostly we put the ball in at the wrong moment against a compact side.

“They had their counter-attacks they wanted to have. I really think the spaces we had to play were super clear, super open.

“The rest was more or less busy with covering other spaces, we didn’t use that often enough, didn’t enjoy the challenge to face a deep, compact side. It’s clear we cannot get through with all the balls, but it was like we didn’t get through and things didn’t work out. Little things which make a massive difference and then we go 1-0 down, not helpful obviously in the counter-attack.

“They did the same stuff, but it was successful enough because we didn’t defend it well and then I thought we started pretty well in the second half and then got the penalty and we missed it and after that we were in a real rush and didn’t create enough really and that’s it.

“It was clear from the first second that we come here, Bournemouth are fighting to stay in the league, wonderful club, wonderful city, they want to stay in and they do really well.

“Results were not going in the right direction in the last few months but the performances look different and so they deserve the three points today, that’s it.”

On the goal Liverpool conceded, Klopp refused to single out any individual for blame.

“We cannot go through it completely, pass the ball, don’t cover the space,” he said. “I don’t know 100% anymore how the positioning was, I need to watch it back. In the end, a ball comes from the outside into the inside and probably it should be defendable as well but I have to watch it back.”

Klopp also refused to criticise Salah for his missed penalty. The missed spot-kick was the first penalty Liverpool have been awarded in the league this season, having last received one in April 2022.

“The last penalty we got in the league was long ago and it’s completely hypothetical but if we score there, the game could turn,” Klopp reflected.

“It doesn’t make the performance better but could change the result at least. He scores goals, he scores a lot of goals but he missed the penalty, that’s life.”