Jurgen Klopp isn’t panicking yet, but as Liverpool dropped points for the second straight game to start the Premier League season and injuries are threatening to derail the Reds from a title race in the opening month, it was clear that all is not well at Anfield right now.
[ RECAP: Liverpool vs Crystal Palace: Reds battle back for another draw (video) ]
Darwin Nuñez was sent off for making head-to-head contact with Crystal Palace defender Joachim Andersen in the sides’ 1-1 draw on Monday, leaving the Reds a man and a goal down at the time, before Luis Diaz struck magnificently to draw level. Klopp made no excuses for his star summer signing, putting it plainly “[he] knows he let his teammates down.”
It was that kind of night for Liverpool, while Patrick Vieira was every bit as proud as Jurgen Klopp appeared frustrated. It’s difficult to go to places like Anfield where you know you’ll be defending most of the game, he said, and you must be opportunistic and clever as they were.
Jurgen Klopp reaction: “Darwin Nunez knows he let his teammates down” with red card
“I cannot really be disappointed with the result because of the story of the game. I am proud of the performance. This was a proper LFC game, the way we started and put them under pressure. Palace had an idea, to sit deep and look for counter attacks.
“It is really uncomfortable to play against them, especially with the quality, speed and technique they have. I don’t know how many shots they blocked in the first half.”
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“Not the start (to the season) we wanted, but two points is the least of our problems right now. It’s really tricky with injuries. We have to use next week to maybe bring one or two back, although I don’t know if that is possible.
“We have lost Darwin now as well, which does not help, but [Roberto Firmino] might be back, we will see.”
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“Darwin knows he let his teammates down. I will talk to him. It was not a reaction we want to see. He knows he will be challenged in this way, center halves will do that, but it is not a reaction we want.
“But we will use the time productively. We will use the suspension for physical work to make him strong — not a punishment, but to make him stronger.”
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“Everything went against us in the week before, it was like we had a witch in the building with all the injuries, so I am proud in the way we responded.
“We needed direction to get in behind the line of five and I thought we were really strong. That was the message before the game.”
🗣 “It’s not the start we wanted but it’s the least of my problems.”
Jürgen Klopp on taking 2 points from 6 in their opening two Premier League games. pic.twitter.com/Zsxhff6jPa
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) August 15, 2022
Nuñez is likely to be suspended for three games due to his offense being deemed violent conduct, leaving Liverpool three attackers short for next Monday’s trip to Old Trafford to face bitter rivals Manchester United, with Firmino and Diogo Jota currently out injured.
Patrick Vieira reaction: “We were prepared to suffer, and did”
As for Crystal Palace, it was yet another workmanlike performance from Vieira’s daring Eagles. They had pressure little of the ball and manufactured just two scoring chances all game, yet they fought tooth and nail for their point and looked the likelier side to score a winner as the 10 men of Liverpool faded late on.
“I am really pleased. It is not an easy place to come and we defended well as a team. We were prepared to suffer, and did. In our counter-attacks we were good. We needed a big team performance and we had it tonight.”
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“When you come to these places, you accept you will go through difficult periods. It is about how you manage those and I think we did it will. The first 20 minutes, half-hour was tough, but we were really composed, calm and disciplined. That helped us perform well.
“If we don’t bring those ingredients, it is really difficult to get something from that game. We competed against them and worked hard. This is the minimum we can do. Then we need the organization and discipline. We got the point and I am really pleased with that.”
🗣 “It’s a really tough place to come, we can be very pleased with ourselves.”
Patrick Vieira says he’s delighted with the point at Anfield for his Crystal Palace side this evening. 🦅 pic.twitter.com/yMi3P5XmQ0
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) August 15, 2022
