Ajax 0-3 Liverpool: Jürgen Klopp's reaction

The Reds clinched at least second spot in Group A and a place in the knockouts of Europe's premier club competition with a game to spare by securing the comprehensive win in Amsterdam on Wednesday night. 

Mohamed Salah opened the scoring at Johan Cruijff Arena just prior to half-time and was then joined on the scoresheet by Darwin Nunez and Harvey Elliott early into the second period. 

Read a full transcript of Klopp's post-match press conference...

On the victory and qualifying for the knockout stage of the Champions League with a game to spare...

Qualifying for the knockout stages, I think nobody ever should take for granted – it's really difficult. We did it again, which is a big achievement in itself. In the game, it started really, really tricky for us – and that makes the victory in the end even sweeter because Ajax are a really good team and we've beaten them twice. It was very important. Today, the first half an hour, maybe 35 minutes, they were the better team. They looked much more settled than us, but that might be normal because we changed again slightly and from our point of view we had to.

We pressed slightly different and we had to get used to that. That's normal, it's an away game in the Champions League and it's difficult so we came through that with one situation where we were probably lucky and the other situation where we had a good block. Then we scored our goal and you could see how the goal can open pretty much everything. The goal was already brilliant but the next situation was then a sensational football moment, [but] unfortunately we hit the post there. At half-time we had a lot of good moments to show and we tried to continue on that pathway. Then we scored the two goals, controlled the game, which is really good and difficult. We are really happy about going to the last 16. Great.

On whether Jordan Henderson is OK following a knock...

I think so. I was worried as well when I saw the situation because it was in front of me, but I think he thought he got knee on knee, so painful. A bruise, probably. Really painful but as far as I know now, nothing else and that should be fine.

On whether every other player came through the game fine...

Yes. I didn't have too much time to spend in the dressing room yet, but no-one came to me with any further or bigger problems.

On the team's set-up...

So we could have lined up today obviously with that formation in a 4-3-3 but we decided more for a diamond. Where the difference is obviously in possession, not that big, but it keeps the striker a bit more inside, so we have no clear wingers, the wings open up for the full-backs and all these kind of things. That's nothing new. But you have to be really brave on the 'eight' positions and on the full-back positions. Actually the problem was only you arrive there in the challenge, you want to block the full-back and then in that moment they pass the ball to Tadic or to Brobbey – there, we couldn't stop them pretty much because they just physically were really there. We had these situations in the home game as well with Tadic especially. I think the ref there whistled like five, six offensive fouls – I'm not sure they were offensive fouls but he saw it like that. Today, he didn't whistle them, so from there they play on and that was one problem. 

The other problem is the man-marking system of Ajax is uncomfortable. We should have turned in a lot of moments in midfield where we then realised immediately that we are constantly under pressure. Very important was [the] last line, Virgil and Joey. In the moment they started stepping in... you might remember the first game against Ajax when Joel was constantly super-active there. In the moment they stepped in, Ajax was in doubt because now they have to mark a different player, now they leave another player free and all of a sudden you find constantly a player you can play with. And that changed everything, we just needed time to do that again. And when we did it then we controlled the game and we had brilliant moments actually.

On how the players responded well after a 'shaky start'...

It's good. Extremely helpful, absolutely, very good. I'm not sure what is better in our situation, to fly through a game – probably everybody would love it – [or] to overcome difficulties and in the end to develop into your best self is obviously very helpful as well. Today it was like that. And in the end, we just did really well, so that's how it is, and what stays with us as well. The most important thing, I would've been over the moon if we played here today 0-0 and get through because it's all about getting through and we did that with 3-0 and that's perfect. We scored wonderful goals, like really wonderful goals. The first goal, the overview of Hendo was exceptional. The second goal was a great cross and the whole situation how Darwin takes on pretty much everybody. And then Harvey crowns his really good performance with a sensational finish. So that's all, individually, very helpful and for the group as well, and that's why we are really happy for them. 

On whether the team's ability to 'problem solve' impressed him most about the performance...

The things what you have to do is pretty early, pretty clear – where we played into their cards. But it's then difficult to take it on the pitch because you are the one who feels obviously not that he has to step in, that you walk with the ball and these kind of things – that's why they pass all the time. But we needed the full-backs higher, then Joey can step in, then he can pass the ball to Trent and Trent can go with the ball as well, like acceleration and stuff like this. Same for Robbo. The big chance we had was a Robbo acceleration and then keeping an overview, finding Bobby or whatever and then he can pass the ball back again. So this is a very good example how you have to play and sometimes you just have to realise that step by step during the game and then doing it again. Obviously these moments were really good but it was after we had to just defend – and it's fine, I have no problem with that. When the other team is doing well then you just have to get through this. And in the moment when you can take over, we have to take over.