Jürgen Klopp's reaction to shootout defeat in Community Shield

The Reds recovered from the early setback of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s opener for the Gunners by levelling through Takumi Minamino following a sustained period of second-half pressure.

With the scoreline tied at 1-1, the contest went to penalties, during which Rhian Brewster cracked an effort against the bar.

Aubameyang converted Arsenal’s fifth spot-kick to seal the silverware for the Londoners; however, Klopp observed positive aspects of his team’s performance, though admitted there was a need for improvement heading into the new Premier League season.

Read on for a summary of the manager’s post-match press conference…

On what the result would mean for the two teams going into the new season…

I cannot answer the question for Arsenal, to be honest – I hope you asked Mikel [Arteta] that. We were here to win the game, I hope that was obvious. We didn’t win the game – we didn’t lose it, but we lost the competition obviously because of a penalty shootout. And because we conceded a goal from Aubameyang and didn’t use our chances, then the game is open. We scored late, which was not a problem but we could have scored earlier, that would have helped. We had the game in the right direction then, I would say, but time was not enough. That’s how it is, what that means for Arsenal, I have no idea.

On whether he was pleased with any parts of Liverpool’s performance…

With parts of the game I was obviously pleased because I know in which situation we are, what we did in training and all the stuff that I expected today from a physical point of view, from a tactical point of view. The game we had to play here today against a deep defensive block, 5-4-1, you need to have 100 per cent fresh legs, your decision-making needs to be on top. We were not the freshest legs, but they were fresher than three or four days ago. It’s all normal. We have another two weeks to prepare the next season. When you then concede the goal we conceded, then of course that doesn’t help at all. We had to get control back of the game, I would say – we had that in the second half with the constant threat of the counter-attacks and all these things. Arsenal had a good build-up, [but] they didn’t really create chances with that. We had to work hard for it and that’s how it is. We had our two or three big moments, which we didn’t finish off. That’s what then decides games, we know that, and so that’s the reason for the result.

On whether he is in favour of the introduction of being allowed to make five substitutes this season…

Yes. I know the discussion will then go again of whether it is an advantage for the bigger clubs. Look, I don’t discuss it from that point of view, I don’t want to have an advantage in the competition or whatever. We have 38 Premier League games in a four-week-shorter season, that says it all. All the other competitions will be pretty much the same as far as I know, so that means that these things will help. But I can imagine other teams see it differently. It is never about having an advantage; I saw it last season as well when we played in the last nine games of the season, I thought, ‘Oh, good, City bring on five players… not bad!’ But it is all about how we can get through this season and not who gets a little advantage here and there. It is really, how can we get through the season. I think for getting in a good way through the season, for the sake of the football players and the performance levels, I think it would make sense. But I don’t make the decision.

On whether Minamino’s goal was a big moment for him in his LFC career…

It was big for him and big for us because it was the only thing he lacked since he is with us. He didn’t score a goal [before], but had situations and was close in plenty of moments. That helped of course. The shape he is in is obviously good, I think everybody could see when he came on. Then, the goal is more or less the logical step after performing on the level he performs now, especially in the pre-season. I am very pleased for him; it was very important for us to stay in the game and for him, just to make this first important step.

On the impact Minamino can make now he has had time to adjust to English football…

Yes, he can have an impact, that’s why we signed him. That’s easily said. I don’t want to put, after one or two really good performances in the pre-season, massive pressure on his shoulders that there’s absolutely no need for. We have a good football team and it’s difficult to come into the team anyway. But he is a player who is really useful for us, let me say it like this. It was not only the goal today. He is in between, he is really good in small spaces, his first touch is exceptional, then his decision-making between the lines is really quick. That helps as well. So, yes, he can be a real player for us – that was always clear. He came in in the most difficult period of all our lives, I would say, and had to adapt to different things, being alone in England in the lockdown and all that stuff. That’s all not something that’s nice. But he dealt really well with it because he’s a super professional. So I’m really pleased for him that he could score the goal today and that’s another big step for him.

On the decision to bring Brewster on to take a penalty and whether he can learn a lesson from it in the long term…

Yeah, how we all, we constantly have to learn and prove then again we can deal with defeats. We lost the competition today as a team and Rhian is a part of that. If he would have scored the penalty and somebody else would have missed, it would have been the same feeling pretty much. I get that it’s different when you are the one; I was in the situation myself as a player, obviously that’s not nice. But there are bigger catastrophes than that, it’s just part of the deal. I think with his technique – his shooting and finishing technique – I don’t think ever in his life there will be a goalie in touch with the ball around a penalty, but missing it like this is possible because he takes full risk. I didn’t see him ever missing a penalty since we worked together. Today it happened; that can happen, that’s how it is. Dealing with defeats is in football a very important lesson always. We are all not perfect in it. But this will not harm him because we will not let it happen. And if somebody is to blame for that it’s me because I made that decision. It was obvious we do it for the penalties, we took Gini Wijnaldum off and we did it for the penalty shootout. I wanted him in the position because I know he is a naturally confident boy, he’s a real finisher, his penalties are really good usually. Today not – that happens in football and in life, no problem.

On whether he’ll use his own experience of missing a penalty to help Brewster…

I rarely join or share my football experiences with the boys because it was too long ago. But I’m not the only one who missed a penalty in my life in the team, so the boys pick him up. It’s not about me making it bigger than it is. He missed a penalty, we had a few words directly when he left the pitch, that’s all fine. Nothing to apologise for or whatever. That’s football, no problem. If we wanted to win the game then we should have scored during the 92 minutes, we didn’t do that often enough and that’s why it came to a penalty shootout. It’s a lottery, we know that. It’s not about who is the best, it’s just you have to score and we did that four times really well. And this penalty was not the worst I ever saw, it was just a little bit too high. There was absolutely no chance for the goalie, it was just too high. That’s why it happened how it happened.