Salah Has Helped Us A Lot – Klopp

Jurgen Klopp has said his team was expected to lose all 3 points to Crytsal Palace after a nervy start at Anfield yesterday.

He said, “Nobody should be surprised about the character of the boys,” he said at his postmatch news conference. “If something was really here before I came in, it was character.

“I have known the boys since 2015 and I have found boys with outstanding character. The work-rate has always been unbelievable and you have to mix that with a few other attributes. Confidence, self belief, its important, but the boys are ready to fight. That’s clear.

“It’s not the first time this season we had to do it, but today it was pretty special and I really liked it.

“It was not too easy for the crowd to get the first half, we did OK but you’re 1-0 down and I’m pretty sure a lot of people thought today was the day we would lose it.

“We were not like this, I told the boys we had to stay positive and we were not allowed to lose our nerve, there was no reason for it.

“We needed to improve a few things and do things again and again. Of course we had to protect the left wing extremely well, to win the ball back there, and the boys did it. You always need a bit of luck in football, but the boys deserved these three points in a very difficult game.”

Klopp also hailed Mohammed Salah, “Exceptional achievement from a world-class player,” the Liverpool manager said. “He made a few steps in the last couple of months in the right direction. Wow, an outstanding number.

“I heard the names of the other players who got there a bit quicker — Alan Shearer, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Andy Cole — good strikers as well, eh? Maybe he would have scored more and earlier if I hadn’t played him on the right wing so often — my fault.

“But no, not bad. Helped us a lot. It’s a typical win-win situation. He benefits from the style of play, and the boys benefit of course from his scoring desire. It’s cool.”