The plucky underdogs were brought down to earth as Manchester City, Everton and Stoke City reached the League Cup semi-finals on Tuesday, ending the hopes of second-tier sides who felled fancied opponents in the last round.
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“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”.
“I said he had to learn this and that, don’t make this too hard, and he said: “Yes, I know”.
He started alongside Adam Lallana and Origi in a front three, but it was right-back Connor Randall, making his second senior appearance, who threatened to overshadow the striker’s return for entirely the wrong reasons. His idea is fixed and is going great so the best is to do what he says. We had good players, young people and a great club so something was wrong. Christian Benteke has started the last two matches and Klopp has suggested the Belgian may need a breather so Roberto Firmino may play in a false 9 role – much as he did against City. He had not the flawless pre-season. Credit: GETTY IMAGESManchester City and Liverpool are the favourites with bookmakers to win the Capital One Cup having been kept apart in the semi-final draw.
Southampton, meanwhile, continue to impress – even if they have lost back-to-back Premier League games.
“I said to [Daniel] after the game: ‘Now I know what everybody is talking about”, said Klopp.
Tonight’s victor at St Mary’s – extra time and a penalty shootout will be required if necessary – will join Manchester City, Everton and Stoke City in the last four. “Stoke will want this final, for sure”.
But Klopp has been wary to brand his opening month in at the Anfield helm a success – opting merely for “okay”.
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To add insult to injury, Jordon Ibe showed huge control to chest down a cross from the left before driving the final nail into Ronald Koeman’s dreams of guiding Southampton to the next round. Very complete, defensively strong, good movement, and they killed the game with high quality, but [it was] too easy in my opinion. “We don’t have a lot of players winning titles and that is the best for a footballer – that you can celebrate after winning something important”. If there was any doubt whether Origi’s touch had been intentional enough for it to go down as his first goal in a Liverpool shirt, there was no question that the long-awaited moment had arrived midway through the second half.
