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.”
Crazy decision. Completely accidental clash of heads.
A five game ban for this is outrageous. How is a decision like that arrived at. It was clearly accidental.
Cant watch the clips because I’m in Australia ffs. But the fans I’ve spoke to say it’s a yellow a most and even that’s harsh. Any truth to this??
@Dara: no
@Dara: Do they not have YouTube in Australia ?
Shameful decision. Warranted a yellow card at best. He’ll be badly missed for the ECC games where his brawn and explosive speed would have levelled things up for Connacht.
Whatever about whether it was right or wrong, how can they suspend 1 week off the 6 week ban for ‘remorse’ when the red card was challenged? Surely that is a prime indication that not alone was there no remorse but the feeling was that it wasn’t even a red card. This incident aside, I would be concerned that the judicial process is flawed on that basis.
His biggest mistake was not being Owen Farrell.
I think he’s a lucky lad to only get 5 weeks, accidental or not he clearly didn’t learn his lesson from the last high shot.
@Jim Demps: I don’t think people here understand. The tackler has an obligation to tackle safely. Accidental or not he has made head to head contact which could have been avoided. The player doesn’t dip in fact he may even come up a little at impact. It’s a clear red and when it’s your second of the season 5 weeks seems lenient.
@Jim Demps: It was an accidental clash of heads after the attacking player changed his running line. I think 5 weeks is harsh, I’d love to see how they arrived at this decision. He does need to lower his tackle height though. Owen Farrell only got 5 weeks for tackle on Charlie Atkinson and in terms of intent those tackles are like chalk and cheese. With Farrells tackling track record it should have been far longer.
@Jayme Mc Goldrick: yeah that’s it. Accidental or not the outcome is still a dangerous tackle. I get why people are annoyed, I’d probably be the same if it was a munster player but it’s not like it’s a new rule, a head shot has never been legal.
@MacEoin.T: I think the decision is pretty clear, he got 6 weeks the first time and it was reduced to 3 for having a clear record. He then got 6 weeks this time and didn’t get the reduction for having a clear record. If anything I’d be saying he didn’t deserve the one week reduction given he clearly hasn’t learnt his lesson.
@Jim Demps: Out of interest, does a player get a clear record at the beginning of each season or is it a pro career duration timeframe?
@MacEoin.T: I know in the amateur game in Ireland they look at your records for 5 years so I assume it’s probably something similar. They definitely don’t get a clean slate at the start of the season anyway. Punishing repeat offenders more harshly I think is a good way to go. Like if Papalli gets sent off again for another high shot I’d say he could be looking at 10+ weeks.
@Jim Demps: he’ll be back in time for the game against Munster on the 9th of January Jim. We’ll get a proper look at him in action then.
@Jim Demps: Would you stop Jim, Farrell got the same ban for trying to take Atkinson’s head off and you’re arguing the Papali’i deserves the same? You’re dreaming lad.
@Paddy Kennedy: I’m not arguing anything, I’m saying that’s how it works. Farrell actually got a 10 week ban reduced by half for a first offence. Farrells was worse and he got a bigger ban, papalli is in the dock for the second time in four games and gets less of a reduction. It’s fairly straightforward
@David Finn: great stuff, hopefully he takes the time between now and then to learn how to tackle in Union. He’ll be a serious player once he irons out those mistakes.
@Paddy Kennedy: It was Farrell’s first red so he got more lenient treatment. The fact that Farrell should have had plenty of reds in recent seasons can’t be taken into account.
Players & coaches have to understand how seriously World Rugby is taking head injuries and act accordingly. That means a lower body position in any potential tackle situation.
Clearly difficult to get it right all the time so some players will get unlucky from time to time. Lack of intent doesn’t seem to be a mitigating factor.
Crazy biased decision.
That makes no sense. How the ref made out he led with his head is beyond me. The attacking player steps and papali has to change direction to make the tackle, their heads collide. 5 games is ridiculous.
Outrageous decision! Ref & TMO bottled it!!
I really don’t understand all the comments arguing that this is somehow disproportionate. It was a clear red card, it was clear he was going to get a significant ban and if he doesn’t learn how to tackle lower he’s going to miss more games than he plays. Crazy decision by Connacht to contest this and I’d argue you shouldn’t get a reduction if you contest the decision, as you’re clearly not remorseful if you think you didn’t commit an offence.
The hypocrisy on this forum , when it was Peter O Mahony deliberately targeting someone’s head in the ruck with his shoulder a few weeks ago (imo, is much worse than an accidental clash of heads) people here were saying ‘he was frustrated’ and ‘playing on the edge’!