Lincoln City 2-7 Liverpool: Jürgen Klopp's reaction
Jürgen Klopp took great satisfaction from Liverpool's performance as they progressed to the Carabao Cup fourth round by beating Lincoln City 7-2.
The Reds were comprehensive winners at the LNER Stadium, with Xherdan Shaqiri’s stunning free-kick followed by Takumi Minamino and Curtis Jones doubles, plus late goals from Marko Grujic and Divock Origi.
Klopp’s side thereby set up a meeting with Arsenal in round four – to be played at Anfield next week – on a night when Diogo Jota, Kostas Tsimikas and Rhys Williams also made their debuts.
Read the manager’s post-match assessment at his press conference below…
On the performances of the players who ‘don’t usually play’ and took their opportunity to impress…
Everybody used the opportunity tonight to show up, that’s very important. I don’t know what you mean with ‘usually don’t play’ because we only played two games and who will play this season, we will see during the season – that’s not decided yet. My door is always open, if a player shows desire, because they all can play football, that’s why they are at Liverpool. Who shows the desire we saw tonight, who shows the attitude we saw tonight, who shows so many things that I like and we want to see when a Liverpool team shows up, then there’s a big chance you’ll get a lot of games during the season. I liked the game. You’re right, the goals were spectacular; a lot of times the football was spectacular. The free-kick from Shaq was absolutely outstanding. The goals from Curtis, great. The counter-pressing situation before Taki scored the goal, absolutely exceptional. So, really a lot of good things. That’s why we came here – we wanted to win but we wanted to play well as well. So, I saw a good game.
On whether it was an ideal match for Jones to play in…
I think each game is ideal for Curtis to play in because of the quality he has, the skills he has. First half, really good. Start of the second half, really good. And then, yeah, still space for improvement obviously. But I think everybody knows my opinion about Curtis Jones. He is an exceptional talent and we will have some fun with him, I’m pretty sure, in the future.
On it being a game in which Jones could show his personality…
Both goals were difficult. I think the second goal, the first touch was absolutely exceptional – between two opponents, little turn, then he opens up, sees the opportunity and finished it off. It was slightly deflected, but that’s just exceptional. All the goals we scored were really, really good tonight. Yes, Curtis enjoyed obviously the hard work tonight.
On Minamino’s performance…
I loved Taki’s game tonight, to be honest – it was absolutely outstanding and involved in so many situations. More and more, I think we all realise where his qualities are. Wherever he will play in the end, he will end up in the centre: if he plays on the left wing or the right wing, he will play in the half-spaces or the centre because that’s where he has his real strength. He looked really well. The opponent had to kick off seven times [after our goals] and the first guy who chased the opponent again when they received the pass was Taki. He set the rhythm for all these pressing and counter-pressing situations, so I really, really liked the game tonight.
On Shaqiri’s display and his role this season…
First of all it was a super game; a super game from Shaq in a quite, I’m not sure, unfamiliar position – slightly deeper in midfield. He did it really, really well. It was my fault [he was substituted] – he was completely fine, he twisted his ankle slightly but it was absolutely nothing. He touched it twice and I thought it was his calf, but it is nothing. I think it was anyway good to take him off then, but he played a really, really good game. The set-pieces were outstanding – the free-kick he scored with, what a goal that was! There is no doubt about Shaq’s quality, there was never [any doubt] and in the moment everything looks really, really good, it looks promising and we will see.