Jurgen Klopp on Liverpool's 2-0 win over Everton: 'Our best performance for a while'
Klopp, speaking after Liverpool's 2-0 win over Everton, said: "I thought the performance was the best it's been for a while. You take wins when you don't play well but it's much better when you deserve it and we deserved it."
Tuesday 14 February 2023 13:03, UK
Jurgen Klopp spoke of his massive relief of winning the Merseyside derby, calling it Liverpool's "best performance for a while".
Cody Gakpo scored his first Liverpool goal as the Reds produced a commanding display to defeat rivals Everton 2-0 at Anfield and end a four-game winless run in the league on Monday Night Football.
Mohamed Salah broke the deadlock for Liverpool just 16 seconds after Everton's James Tarkowski headed against the post from a corner as Liverpool opened up the visitors with a devastating counter. Liverpool move above Chelsea into ninth in the table with nine points separating them and fourth spot.
Klopp was asked whether the 16 seconds between the Tarkowski header and Salah goal was a key moment in the season, he said: "Absolutely. We thought the same. It happened last week [vs Wolves] the first ball into the box, deflection, and then goal. That gives a game direction although it shouldn't be impactful but it happens. It was the biggest difference between other games and tonight. I thought the performance was the best it's been for a while. You take wins when you don't play well but it's much better when you deserve it and we deserved it.
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"Atmosphere was outstanding. I'm in love with our crowd - what they did tonight was extremely helpful and the boys paid back. It was a real derby with a difficult opponent but we played the game we wanted to play not the game Everton wanted to play. We kept the ball, switching sides, staying patient, getting behind the line and I saw a real unit tonight where everyone was really fighting.
"And the goals we scored were two sensational counter attacks. Can you remember the last time we had that many options for the guy starting the counter attack? I can't. Tonight we were there. That has to be the sign of what we have to do. We had 70 per cent of the ball and we scored two from counter attacks, that is really special.
"I really think when you are in difficult situations the way you behave defines the future. We are the club to show how to deal with difficult moments. There is nothing bad to say about how people reacted and tonight was special."
Klopp's emotions were running high at full-time and he was happy to oblige to the Kop with his trademark fist-pump celebration.
"It's a massive relief. I didn't want to do it but you don't know when the next time you can. Whatever the crowd would have asked for tonight I would have done it - apart from getting rid of my clothes, we don't want to torture them."
Salah: A huge win, it looked like old Liverpool?
Mohamed Salah speaking to Sky Sports:
"It's big, huge for us. We couldn't wait for this game to turn everything around, we hope it's the start.
"We were a little bit lucky but luck comes when you work hard. We was excited for this game to change everything. Hopefully this is the start. Henderson and Milner were speaking last week about enjoying our football as we've been together for six years and we have new players that are playing really good. It looked like old Liverpool but that started last week."
Carra: Win at Newcastle and Liverpool are back in top four race
Sky Sports' Jamie Carragher on Monday Night Football:
"Klopp has just got to hope Liverpool can now go on and try to make some sort of fight for that top four position. Could they have a Champions League run? Sometimes one big result in a big game can spark something.
"Liverpool have certainly looked like their old selves for a lot of this game.
"I still think it's a big outside chance for them to make top four. Liverpool's next game away at Newcastle is vital. If they get three points in that game then I think they are back in the equation. There's still so long in the season to go."
Is Bajcetic the answer to Liverpool's midfield problems?
Liverpool's 18-year-old Stefan Bajcetic earned himself Carragher's player of the match award with a gritty performance in midfield.
Having played deeper at times since breaking into the first team, Bajcetic was allowed to go further up the pitch at Anfield with Fabinho sitting back as the youngster showed off his passing range in the absence of the injured Thiago.
"I'm going to give player of the match to Bajcetic," Carragher said on co-commentary. "Nunez has been amazing. Salah has been. But for a young man of his age to play in a Merseyside derby and put in the performance he's done...
"He's kept players out who have won Champions Leagues in recent weeks.
"I wasn't sure if this was the game for him tonight given the power and physicality of Everton's midfield but he's been outstanding. He's dealt with the demands physically but also his quality on the ball."
It wasn't just Carragher that was taken with Bajcetic's performance. Liverpool's goalscorer, Salah, singled him out for big praise as the pair spoke to Sky Sports after the 2-0 win.
"He's a great player and person, always working hard. Since he started playing with us, he's been maybe our best player. I hope he can stay this confident," Salah said of the Spaniard.
Bajcetic, who started out as a centre-back, says it's been a whirlwind 12 months for him at Liverpool. "It's crazy," he told Sky Sports. "A year ago I was playing under-18s football and now I'm at Anfield. I'm enjoying it."
So much has been made of Liverpool's failure to upgrade their midfield in recent seasons, but perhaps Bajcetic can become part of the solution to that problem. He certainly has the energy and technical skill to hold his own and is no demonstrating that he possesses the mentality to cope, too.
