Jurgen Klopp has revealed Liverpool’s players are “angry” after they missed the chance to strengthen their lead at the top of the Premier League.
The Reds were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw by second-bottom West Bromwich Albion at Anfield on Sunday.
Sadio Mane gave Liverpool a 12th-minute lead but a poor showing after the break allowed the visitors to snatch a deserved equaliser through Semi Ajayi eight minutes from time.
And Klopp has explained the reaction of his team despite edging three points clear at the summit.
“It’s not the first time in my life we haven’t won a game we should have won,” said the Reds boss.
“It’s not like we are all depressed or whatever.
“The boys are more angry than anything else because they know it was not perfect. Now we have the next game in three days (at Newcastle United on Wednesday).
“We don’t live in dreamland where we just win games because we want to win them, we have to work for it, play for it and finish situations and pass at the right moment. The boys are able to do that.
“West Brom had a new manager and played a first half I haven’t seen a lot too many times in my life with a 6-4-0. That’s completely fine.
“We have to be disciplined in a different way. We have to be offensive, active and creative, and defend. We could have done that better tonight.”
Despite having 78% possession, Liverpool could muster only two shots on target against a Baggies defence well-drilled by new boss Sam Allardyce.
And Klopp admits the Premier League champions have only themselves to blame for dropping their first home points of the season.
Asked if the result felt like a defeat, the Reds boss said: “Yes, it does but I know we have a point more than before, so that’s completely fine.
“The problem I have is West Brom deserved the point because it’s our fault that they deserved it, in the second half.
“The first half was a really strange game. I don’t know the stats but it looked like we had 90%-10% possession.
“We were playing the ball around, and it’s a massive challenge. I know that to stay on track you have to do it and do it and do it again, and we should have done it.
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“For the other side, it’s a challenge for West Brom to defend like that for 90 minutes because they didn’t change their game when they went 1-0 down.”
Klopp added: “In the first five minutes of the second half they had more situations than the entire first half and we could have sorted that by keeping the passing easy. We didn’t.
“That’s why it’s our fault it ended 1-1 and not 1-0 or 2-0. We have to accept that.”
