Liverpool’s 2-0 victory over RB Leipzig in their Champions League Round of 16 first leg on Tuesday was just what the doctor ordered, coach Juergen Klopp said after his team snapped their three-game losing run.
“It was the game we wanted, the game we needed,” Klopp told reporters. “Leipzig can be a real monster, they overrun teams, they are really physical and tonight (Tuesday) we controlled them in an exceptional way. We forced them to make mistakes. I am happy with the performance.”
Liverpool, who had won the Champions League in 2019 and the Premier League title last season, have struggled for form in recent weeks.
Saturday’s 3-1 defeat at Leicester City left them in sixth in the Premier League, 13 points behind leaders Manchester City having played a game more.
Klopp then had to shoot down speculation earlier this week that he could leave the Premier League champions and pledged to turn their season around. His team did just that on Tuesday, scoring twice in five minutes with Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane to carry a big advantage into their return leg on March 10.
“We played a really good game and we got the result we deserved,” Klopp said. “We defended really well and had good recovery. It was a tough game with only two days since the last one. It’s only the first leg, we know that but a lot of people were waiting for us to slip again,” the German added.
“For two years we were really good and this year we have problems, that’s fine. A lot of people expected us to slip again but the boys didn’t.”
“It was an important game for us, a tough game,” Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson said. “Keeping a clean sheet was important for us. We just want to keep fighting every time we play.”