Liverpool’s defending in Brighton draw ‘horrendous to watch’, laments Klopp

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Liverpool’s defending was “horrendous” at times against Brighton and Hove Albion, lamented a frustrated Jurgen Klopp.

The Reds drew 3-3 with Brighton at Anfield on Saturday but could very easily have lost a match in which their backline was badly exposed.

Brighton, in Roberto De Zerbi’s first match in charge, managed only six attempts, yet all of those were on target, with Alisson pulling off three fine stops.

One of those came from Leandro Trossard, who had the visitors 2-0 up by the 17th minute, although Roberto Firmino’s double restored parity prior to Adam Webster turning into his own net. Trossard then became just the third visiting player to score a Premier League hat-trick at Anfield.

Liverpool are conceding 1.3 goals per game on average this season, up from last term’s average of 0.7.

Klopp did not hold back from criticising his side, telling reporters in his post-match press conference: “We should have defended all three goals better, there is no doubt about that, but in different areas; not in the last moment, already earlier we should have defended better.

“They scored, 3-3, and that feels like a defeat again, even when it is not a defeat. We have to fight through this. The boys can play much better, my job is to create a situation where they deliver.

“I think it was absolutely fine when we went 3-2 up, but then we were not sitting deep, we were not attacking high, we were somewhere in between, and that’s how they got their moments.

“I don’t know how many situations I saw today where the offensive players could just turn between the lines – horrendous, really horrible to watch.”

Liverpool have conceded eight goals across their last three matches in all competitions, and while he is not panicking yet, Klopp knows it is an issue that must be addressed.

“‘Concerning’, I am not sure if it is the right word, but we can’t ignore the fact,” he added. “I know 100 per cent everybody expects for me now two or three things that I say, everybody feels: ‘OK, if we do that then it is done.’ But how it always is in difficult moments in life and in football, you have to fight through.

“You have to fight through, you have to be ready to work so hard that you step by step get the confidence back, get the momentum back. 

“We are under pressure, we don’t ignore that. It’s not now that we increase it every day, but it’s there. We want to do better, we want to have more points, we want to be in a different area in the table, that’s all clear.”