“But after 20 games, the euphoria will settle down and you look at the players who run an extra yard, and that’s when you look at the quality of the team”.
Advertisement
Speaking to reporters at his pre-match press conference, as reported by the Liverpool Echo, the Reds boss said: “I’m absolutely satisfied with goalkeeper situation, sorry to kill your stories about German goalkeepers, Stoke or wherever”.
With the Saints on the slide and Liverpool riding high, a glance at the team sheets before the game suggested the home side were taking the competition extremely seriously.
They scored six at Southampton last night to advance to the semi-finals of the Capital One Cup.
The striker was the grateful recipient of poor defending from the hosts on both occasions, but the returning Reds forward took his third and fourth goals of the season with the confidence that belied a player making his first start since early October. It would be easy to say it’s easy away or against teams with more ball possession, because if it was that easy, everyone would do it.
A little over 40 seconds were on the clock when Mane stole a march on Liverpool left back Alberto Moreno and arrived at the far post to get his head to a cross from Ryan Bertrand and bury the ball past Adam Bogdan. “We have speed and discipline in defending, that’s a good thing”. Since Klopp’s arrival at Liverpool, he’s gone from having only Divock Origi fit, to having Origi, Benteke, Firmino and Sturridge all available to him.
He said: “The biggest fault you can make is thinking you’re already in the next round and it’s “only Southampton”. Only Southampton. They’re pretty hot on this game, they’ve lost their last two games and they want to strike about.
With the likes of Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Arsenal already out of the competition, for Liverpool, this represents as good an opportunity as ever to go on and win it for the ninth time.
Advertisement
“We don’t give opponents too many chances”.
