JURGEN KLOPP will not read too much into Liverpool being top of the Premier League again at Christmas after the 7-0 win at Crystal Palace but is pleased his side have sufficient time to recover.
The Reds ran riot at Selhurst Park with Roberto Firmino and substitute Mohamed Salah grabbing a brace while Takumi Minamino, Sadio Mane and Jordan Henderson were also on target in a record-breaking win for the Merseyside club.
It was Liverpool’s biggest ever Premier League victory and their joint-largest success on the road in their history to ensure, for the third year in a row, they will sit at the summit ahead of the Boxing Day fixtures.
West Brom, under newly-appointed Sam Allardyce, will visit Anfield a week on Sunday and the German is happy to have a full week to prepare for the match.
Klopp said: “I don’t feel satisfaction, I am happy in the moment absolutely because it was a top game but at a time like this it makes no sense to be over the moon about something.
“The problems and challenges don’t get smaller. For the first time now in what feels like ages we don’t play on Tuesday immediately again.
“I think Crystal Palace felt today a little bit how hard it is to play Wednesday night and Saturday at 12.30pm again. It was tough for us as well, so I don’t think about being top of the table or whatever.
“We are just happy we won the game and now we have more time to recover than we ever had before in this season and we have to use that in a smart way and then West Brom is waiting with Sam Allaryce and the next proper challenge is there.”
Salah was a surprise absentee from the starting XI in south London, but Klopp explained how he was eager to rest the Egyptian after an intense period of matches.
He added: “Mo played the last four games and missed only seven minutes, so it was a massively intense period so it was clear it was him (who needed to be rested).
“And usually you would expect in a game like this against Crystal Palace – because the last few results with us and them were close – to bring him on for the last half an hour would be okay. We did that by the way but it was not exactly the scenario we expected.”
Minamino replaced Salah in the team and took his opportunity immediately with a first ever Premier League goal in the third minute.
The Japanese attacker got off the mark at the 18th time of asking in the top flight and caught the eye of his manager in training.
“We want to use Taki so that’s it and the way we play, if you play for us in midfield you need offensive skills so it means Taki can play there,” Klopp explained.
“He played twice (in midfield) and played good and more important in training he looked sharp and great and that was why he played. He played a top game today, a nice finish and he is in a good moment.
“I saw him in the dressing room and he couldn’t avoid smiling so it’s a good moment. He is in a really good place and it helps us.”
Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson cut a forlorn figure at full-time despite the hosts asking plenty of questions of the champions early on.
Jordan Ayew was unable to make the most of a couple of fine first-half openings and Liverpool showed their clinical edge afterwards.
“There is nothing positive I can say,” Hodgson admitted.
“We are humiliated by the result, we take it very badly and for most of us in the dressing room we have not been on the end of a 7-0 defeat and I can’t think of anything positive to say.
“We just have to get over it, there is no point dwelling on it and we have to learn lessons from it.”
Against this huge Fiji team I think it’s fair to say that everyone on the bench will get a game
@Niall Cunneen: this will be quite close id say
I hope McCloskey will be a mainstay in the squad after this month
@Shcoop: I bet he won’t do whatever he was told not to do in his last game.
Have to say the technique on the bag hit is all wrong
Head across body , asking for a concussion
Sorry , pedantic I know
@Tony O Dwyer: I don’t think they’re doing tackle practice there…
@Tony O Dwyer: Chris Farrell should be holding that tackle pad. I’d have both McCloskey and Farrell hitting the forwards’ pads.
@Tony O Dwyer: Good point! He won’t want Joe seeing that photo. It always annoys me seeing pro players do it. The worst one I ever saw was Leigh Halfpenny getting knocked out for refusing to tackle with his left shoulder against Italy. What’s even worse is that he still won’t tackle with his left shoulder to this day!
@Conor Paddington: It’s still asking for injury. We all know that McCloskey is going to win a physical contest with Carbery in training but if it’s a game and he doesn’t, he risks serious injury. He is also taking most of the power out of his cleanout by having his neck in front of the man.
@Tony O Dwyer: It’s a rucking drill.
@EK: it’s not asking for injury if he’s not practicing his tackling.
@Gary: Correct, it’s a rucking drill and the height of Carbery’s feet off the ground suggests that McCloskey hit the pad low and then lifted his mate which is the proper rucking technique.
@Conor Paddington: How wonderfully disingenuous of you to ignore my second point. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that whatever drill McCloskey does, whether it’s tackling or rucking, should be practiced with perfect technique to prepare him for game situations. Otherwise he’s practicing a mistake.
This isn’t a witchhunt, just an attempt from a coach to preach the virtues of good habits in training. Unless of course Conor Paddington is an alias for Allen Iverson then…..it’s just practice man.
@EK: I would like the record to state that I am not disingenuous, just lazy. I didn’t read that far. Sorry. That said, we still don’t know what the drill is, my initial point stands. But as you said, it’s a bad angle if he is clearing out.
@Conor Paddington: Fair enough and point taken.
@Tom Reilly: Agreed but the purpose seems to be to unbalance the ball carrier for either a second to secure possession.
Murray might be on gardening leave mariahh
@Range Rover: Carey?