Liverpool’s 6-1 win over Leeds United at Elland Road on Tuesday was their best performance of the season according to manager Jurgen Klopp.
The win was Liverpool’s first in six games in all competitions since they beat Manchester United 7-0 in early March, as they inflicted a record Premier League home defeat to relegation-fighting Leeds United.
“I think it’s the best game we’ve played this season from many perspectives,” Klopp told Sky Sports as quoted by ESPN.
“We forced a lot of mistakes, sensational goals and counter-pressing, the best game for a long time,” continued Klopp.
“There were some difficult moments, we conceded unnecessary goals but these things happen. Apart from that we controlled the game,” he continued.
Liverpool also beat Bournemouth 9-0 in the Premier League and Rangers 7-1 in the Champions League this term, but Jurgen Klopp says he will always judge his players by performance rather than goals scored.
“I don’t care about scoring six goals, it’s about the performance. It was a winning performance,” added Klopp.
“We can be super offensively oriented if we react at the right moment. I can’t explain why our counter-attacks didn’t work [earlier this season], but tonight it was perfect,” Klopp continued.
“I’m not sure how many goals we scored after we won the ball back – it makes all the difference.”
Leeds United coach Javi Gracia looked completely beaten in his post-match interview and was at a loss to explain it.
“It’s difficult to accept today’s game, the result too,” Spain’s Gracia, who took over in February, told the BBC.
“We lost our composure during the game. Maybe the first goal opened the game and maybe it came from a handball [by Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold], but after that there’s nothing to say, we have to improve for the next game,” he continued.
Leeds now have the worst defense in the top flight having conceded 60 goals in 31 games and are just two points above the relegation zone ahead of the trip to Fulham on Saturday.
“This is something we need to work on and try to improve,” said Javi Garcia.
“That is something we didn’t do in the previous game and now we are in the most important part of the season. We have to be more solid and defend better,” continued Garcia.
Leeds United were booed off the pitch at the final whistle by fans still inside Elland Road.
“We played today against a very good team. They played much better, they deserved the result and we tried but it was impossible to do better,” added Garcia.
“The only message [to the players] is to try to do better in the next game, try and get a better result and this way they [the fans] will be with us.
“There is only one way. Try to work hard and try to improve,” he concluded.
