Klopp: Mistakes like Alexander-Arnold’s summed up error-prone performance from Liverpool
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admits Trent Alexander-Arnold’s mistakes in Tuesday’s Champions League defeat to Real Madrid were indicative of his team’s over all play and showed that they were nowhere near good enough to win the game.
The Premier League champions were favourites ahead of their Champions League quarter-final clash with an injury-ravaged Real Madrid side but a number of poor, individual performances ultimately cost the side and saw them lose the first leg 3-1.
Perhaps the most telling moment of the match came in the 36th minute when Alexander-Arnold’s attempted to head the ball back to his keeper, but instead watched his back pass set up Marco Assensio for Madrid’s second goal.
Indeed, the team's first half performance was so bad that Naby Keita was pulled off the pitch just six minutes later for his poor performances in the opening 42 minutes of the game.
Then, after Mohamed Salah pulled a goal back for Liverpool in the second half, a lacklustre save from Alisson allowed Vinicius Jr to score a third and effectively kill off any Liverpool comeback.
As such, Klopp had no excuses for his side at full time and instead reminded them that if they hoped to get through this tie they would all have to vastly improve upon what was on show on Tuesday night.
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"These mistakes [from Alexander-Arnold] don't happen all of a sudden. They all have a little history. I didn't like our game in the first half, we have to be clear,” said the Liverpool manager.
“We judged the situation wrong. In that moment, it was Trent but in others we gave them the opportunity to use speed."
"When you analyse Madrid, a lot was switching in behind with speed, three of the best centre midfielders in the world who can chip the ball anywhere and you are in trouble.
“These can happen against Real Madrid. If you want to go into the semis you have to deserve it. We were not good enough."
"We have to go for everything. We cannot say there's no chance for us in the Champions League. We have to fight until the end and we will.
"This is a good result for Real Madrid. With each day, we will go over it until the next game. There's a chance but we have to play much better football."