Jurgen Klopp has assessed Liverpool's defensive display in a tough victory against Leeds United.
"I didn’t really see us struggling defensively, it’s just the way they play, you cannot defend it 100 per cent all of the time. The goals we conceded, the first goal, both full-backs were deeper than the centre-halves and that should never happen in football, actually," the boss told Sky Sports.
"But then you need the opponent to use this situation and they did. The second goal I think was a misunderstanding between Virgil and Ali. Things like this can happen – should not, but they can – and I don’t think we will see these situations very often when these two boys are not exactly clear what the other one is doing.
"The third one, we changed Hendo I think a minute before, or not long before, so they came through. It was a throw-in, our formation was not moving and we didn’t close one gap.
"So, again, to use the situation like that you need the game plan and also the bravery of Leeds in this situation. I don’t think it was a striker if I am right, he just showed up there, got the ball and finished it off really brilliantly. We let them run, that’s true, the two midfielders could have done differently.
"The gap between Virgil and Joe was big as well. It’s defending, but it’s not an excuse, it’s just an explanation. The last line played for England, Holland and Scotland four days ago or whatever. All top teams but all different ways of defending, so it can happen then.
"If all these things are not really settled: people say they’ve played 500 games together, but defending is not like riding a bike, you have to work on it constantly. Like I said, space for improvement."
Liverpool have beaten Leeds 4-3 at Anfield on the Premier League matchday 1, thanks to a hat-trick from Mohamed Salah and a goal from Virgil van Dijk.
While the Reds got each of their four efforts from dead-ball situations, the Whites scored all three from open play, efficiently punishing Liverpool for team and individual defensive misplays. Marcelo Bielsa's lads managed to turn every shot on target into a goal.
