“Sion are a good counter-attack team, [they have] a good idea of [how to play] the game”, Klopp told his pre-match media conference.
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Liverpool, though, registered just two shots on target in the whole game, while their Swiss counterparts failed to trouble Simon Mignolet once in the 90 minutes. “We want to go far in every competition so our objective is to win tonight and go from there”.
Sion celebrated enthusiastically at the final whistle, given the result enabled them to qualify, but for Klopp there was a sense of satisfaction that Liverpool won Group B with 10 points – when he succeeded Brendan Rodgers there was a question on whether they would progress at all.
Given that Klopp actually fielded quite a strong side, he may have been a little bit disappointed that they didn’t produce more, especially after last weekend’s dire defeat to Newcastle United in the Premier League.
“To prove yourself, you have to prove yourself over the longer term, not just one game”, Origi said.
But Klopp revealed no new problems arose from the clash. “But we had no injuries”.
In a match of few chances the left-back shone in a near full-strength Liverpool line-up, with Smith lining up alongside Dejan Lovren, Kolo Toure and Nathaniel Clyne in defence.
In Sturridge’s absence youngster Divock Origi, who scored a hat-trick a week ago in the Capital One Cup demolition of Southampton, is in line to start in a match Liverpool only have to draw to top their group, having qualified in their previous match.
Elsewhere, Liverpool legend John Barnes has urged the club to keep faith with striker Daniel Sturridge despite his persistent injury issues.
Emre Can returns from suspension, and will surely replace Lucas.
Liverpool have not won three in succession in Europe since the qualifiers against Gomel (twice) and Hearts in 2012.
“It was not a problem of Christian Benteke, it was a problem of our game in common”.
Klopp could face former club Borussia Dortmund – who he left at the end of last season following seven years in charge – in the knockout stages. Either way, Firmino will have a sizeable task on his hands.
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Lazar Markovic, on loan from Liverpool, put the Turks ahead but they had the Brazilian midfielder Diego sent off before Kris Commons came off the bench to secure a point for the already eliminated Scottish champions.
