Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp admits they were never in the game for today’s defeat at Bournemouth.

Philip Billing struck the only goal of the game at Dean Court.

Klopp said, : “What can I say? It was never really our game. We were dominant in the first half but mostly we put ball in at the wrong moment against a compact side.

“They had their counter-attacks they wanted to have. I really think the spaces we had to play were super clear, super open.

“The rest was more or less busy with covering other spaces, we didn’t use that often enough, didn’t enjoy the challenge to face a deep, compact side. It’s clear we cannot get through with all the balls but it was like we didn’t get through and things didn’t work out. Little things witch make a massive difference and then we go 1-0 down, not helpful obviously in the counter-attack.

“They did the same stuff but it was successful enough because we didn’t defend it well and then I thought we started pretty well in the second half and then got the penalty and we missed it and after that we were in a real rush and didn’t create enough really and that’s it.”

On the defending for the Billing goal, he said: “We cannot go through it completely, pass the ball, don’t cover the space. I don’t know 100% anymore how the positioning was, I need to watch it back. In the end, a ball comes from the outside into the inside and probably it should be defendable as well but I have to watch it back.”

On Mo Salah’s penalty miss, Klopp added: “The last penalty we got in the league was long ago and it’s completely hypothetical but if we score there, the game could turn. It doesn’t make the performance better but could change the result at least. He scores goals, he scores a lot of goals but he missed the penalty, that’s life.

“It was clear from the first second that we come here, Bournemouth are fighting to stay in the league, wonderful club, wonderful city, they want to stay in and they do really well. Results were not going in the right direction in the last few months but the performances look different and so they deserve the three points today, that’s it.”