Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp was full of praise after the much-changed side kept the club’s title ambitions alive with a 2-1 victory over Southampton on Tuesday night.
Klopp made nine changes to the side that beat Chelsea over the weekend to lift the FA Cup with the likes of rent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah left out of the squad completely
“Unbelievable, [being] 1-0 down makes it even more special,” Klopp told Sky Sports.
“What can I say about this group that I haven’t already said? It’s a bit overwhelming and really touching what the boys did.”
“It’s pretty much a crime that Takumi Minamino does not play more often, that Oxlade-Chamberlain in outstanding shape is not part of the squad very often, Harvey [Elliott] didn’t play for a long time, Curtis [Jones] didn’t play for a long time and all these boys deliver and deliver and deliver. It’s unbelievable.”
“Making nine changes and having this kind of performance is absolutely exceptional.”
Special group
“I’ve never had a group like this,” Klopp said.
“I make the lineup and players aren’t involved – I was angry when I was a player, I didn’t like it. I was a footballer to play football.”
“But because we win a lot of times, there are not things you can really argue about. There are two opportunities to deal with it – you give up or you play your role within the group.”
“This group pushes each other constantly and lifts each other. Tonight is really special because it worked out because of the boys.”
Only a single point separates the two sides with Liverpool having 89 and Manchester City having 90.
City face Aston Villa while Liverpool will be up against Wolverhampton.
