Jordan Ibe converted from close vary before halftime after Joe Allen diverted a cross from Adam Lallana in to his path. Ibe was brought on as an alternative to Liverpool 20 minutes earlier, as Philippe Coutinho went off injured, clutching his left hamstring.
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The centre-back was the third Liverpool player of the evening to sustain a muscle tear with Philippe Coutinho and Dejan Lovren both forced off in the first-half with hamstring injuries.
Substitute Jordon Ibe got the only goal of the game, but a good night for the Reds was marred by three more players succumbing to hamstring injuries.
“We started really well and when we start well, we always play well and today that was the case”.
Klopp’s call for a response after a woeful weekend display was heeded from the off with Roberto Firmino, playing as a nominal number nine instead of Benteke, testing Butland after just 36 seconds.
Lallana raced clear of the offisde trap on the right flank before squaring the ball to Joe Allen, who slipped the ball into the feet of Ibe.
“We will have to wait for this, I don’t know how serious, but it is not such good news”.
It looks like Liverpool are taking this Capitol League Cup semi-final seriously.
Klopp said: “It is a little bit of a odd feeling because on the one side we have won this game and played well, the fight is great – I don’t say it too often, I was really angry last week, but now I’m proud because we have reacted so well in such a hard game in all parts”.
Here are three talking points from the the game at the Britannia Stadium. On the brink of the 18th minute, Coutinho pulled up with an injury, which looked like hamstring and was replaced by Jordon Ibe.
Jonny Evans’ late goal saw Stoke City lose 2-1 at West Brom on Saturday.
Jurgen Klopp was unable to fully celebrate Liverpool’s narrow victory over Stoke City in the League Cup semi-final first leg.
So Liverpool take a small lead back to Anfield – the second leg is at the end of the month.
But we don’t train, we only recover, that is the situation now, when should we train?
Brendan Rodgers has been replaced by Klopp and Mark Hughes has added Xherdan Shaqiri and a fit-again Bojan Krkic, following the Spaniard’s cruciate ligament injury, to the team which trounced the five-time European champions at the Britannia.
“Obviously they had problems with injuries, Lovren went off and they get Lucas in the back four and we make a change as we recognised that, get big men round them and see what happens”.
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Klopp was thrilled with the performance and result, with his only negatives being the double injury blow and Liverpool’s inability to take more than a one-goal advantage back to Anfield for the second leg on January 26.
