The Reds suffered a heavy loss at Etihad Stadium after Mane was dismissed for a high challenge on City goalkeeper Ederson 10 minutes before half-time.
That incident came shortly after Sergio Aguero had put the hosts ahead, and City went on to take full advantage of their numerical superiority.
In his post-match press conference, Klopp discussed that crucial moment and much more – including whether Philippe Coutinho is in contention to feature against Sevilla on Wednesday.
Read on for a full transcript...
On Mane’s dismissal…
An accident. A very unlucky situation. Of course, I think everyone knows Sadio did not see the goalie. It was not for one second that he had a look at the goalie or whatever, he just wanted to get the ball as soon as possible. That’s when happened then the red card and we cannot change it anymore. Hopefully the goalie is not seriously injured. I think in the first moment when all the people were on the pitch it looked like this. After the game he was in the dugout, so hopefully, as I said, it is not too serious.
On Mane’s reaction after the game…
He is very, very, very upset. We couldn’t keep him up, he was shocked about the situation and I am sure also about the decision because he didn’t think [it would be red]. If the leg is not where the leg is, you can also say it is a foul from the goalie. What can I say? In the end it is a red card and I am sure enough people will find enough reasons to say it is the right decision and we cannot change it anymore. Of course, it had a big influence on the game today.
On whether he was encouraged by his side’s early attacking performance, or concerned by the defensive display after being reduced to 10 men…
Encouraged? No. Because I really expect from us; I expect from us that we are more stronger in the first half an hour. Both teams did not really defend really well, both teams were not compact really, but we had a lot of chances. We were pretty much [hard] to defend for City in these situations, they had two yellow cards on the 18-yard line.
It was, in a lot of moments, very unlucky for us but I don’t think we have to think too much about luck or something like this because we cannot change luck. But we can change performance. I know it’s difficult after the international break because they played in different positions, had different jobs to do, different systems and all that stuff, so it’s always difficult, but I thought we should have been in the lead in the first half. At 1-0 it was 11 versus 11 and it was a moment when we were in possession, everything was good. City didn’t play too high pressure, they made a little bit of pressure [for the first goal] because we played the ball back to Simon and he could only shoot the long ball.
It’s a normal challenge then, a little foul on Gini I think, but then because of the long ball we didn’t push up and two players were around Ragnar and one of them could get the ball. I thought they had two or three similar situations in the second half and that makes no sense. I know we can be really good, so after we have spoken about this I will try to help the boys to ignore the result today – not the mistakes we did, but the result because it’s already done. We should have scored, we should have had more chances, Mo was three or four times on the touchline in the 18-yard box, or even the six-yard box, and you have to find someone, but nobody was at the front post, nobody.
They were things you can speak about and change for the second half, but then with one man down it was a difficult situation at half-time because I was so positive about the opportunity we should still have. Yes, with one man down against City, it is really not the best place to be, but we do it a lot in training – we defend with only seven players against 14.
They cannot create chances if you are in the right space and use the offside line, which we did not do around the second goal. 2-0 down at City with one man down is not a really cool situation. It was difficult, but we could have done better in the second half. I am not concerned about this; it was a hard lesson today, but I know the boys are good enough and we will learn from it. What we also need to learn from the first half is that we need to influence the game in another direction, we need to score here. I think everyone saw it, so it was obviously obvious.
On Liverpool’s performance…
Both teams were not really compact, that’s true. I was also not happy about this, but we cannot have these situations if City would’ve defended perfectly so you can defend not perfectly and still win 5-0. Yes, we were not compact enough, all three up front were not really involved, we didn’t jump in the midfield [and] go on Fernandinho. It was one, two passes, and Fernandinho could turn, that was the first problem only because Fernandinho had the ball and could play it to De Bruyne and Silva, but they didn’t create many things from this.
Against City, you can always come a step too late and then they pass through the lines so that’s how it is. We had our chances but we were at a maximum of 60 per cent – that’s why I thought if it was still 11 v 11… I don’t care about the result too much, you can create again chances, do this better and be more clinical in the other situations and you will score goals. Obviously all went against us, and the good moments we could not use and the bad moments give us the punch, so that’s how it was.
On the Reds’ midfield and defence…
Two weeks ago we spoke about the midfield and actually we have four in the back line and then six in these situations that have to defend better. Yes, they could’ve done better, of course, but we could’ve done better with the ball. Also in the second half, a lot of things – you don’t lose 5-0 when a lot of things are right, but it’s not that I’m concerned in the long-term.
I think if City takes too much confidence from this game today they make a mistake, if we lose too much confidence because of this game we also make a mistake. After the international break, one man down, young players on the pitch in different positions, it was hard for the boys I know, but we don’t look for excuses. I don’t think we had influence on the red card, it was not a foul but at the end it was a red card so we have to accept it, but we were not overly aggressive or something like this, and that changed the game today. We know it, now we can talk about all the rest, but… what would have happened if we could have played 11 versus 11? But I don’t have the chance to watch this game, so I have to take this one and that’s how it is.
On whether the decision to substitute Salah at half-time was tactical…
Yes. He is completely OK.
On whether Coutinho could return against Sevilla…
Yes.