Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool suffered a surprising 3-2 defeat in the UEFA Europa League group stage away against Toulouse on Thursday. Despite the loss, the Reds still lead Group E. Having finished 5th in the previous season, they missed out on securing a Champions League spot this season.
After the significant victory over Premier League giants Toulouse, fans celebrated exuberantly, interpreting Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp’s post-match conference as he addressed what went wrong for his side in the Europa League clash.
Toulouse fans interrupt Jurgen Klopp’s presser
Liverpool’s midweek trip to Toulouse, Southern France, concluded in an upset as the English side’s unbeaten streak was dismantled by the Ligue 1 club on their home turf. Toulouse currently holds the 14th position in the French league table, just two places above the relegation zone.
This defeat marked only their second loss of the season in the first 17 matches across all competitions. The maiden came against Spurs in a controversial 2-1 in the league in September. The Reds had secured a commanding 5-1 victory over Toulouse in the home leg at Anfield. However, in the return leg, despite dominating possession, the home side got the better of Liverpool.
Klopp’s side needed a win to secure a Round of 16 berth after winning the first three Europa League fixtures. Seemingly, the squad rotation policy of the German boss cost his team 3 points, as key figures started from the bench in this match. Liverpool’s front three failed to capitalize on the chances, yet they managed to pull an equalizer in added time, only to have it ruled out by VAR for Alexis Mac Allister’s alleged handball before it went in.
After the loss, Jurgen Klopp was left frustrated as the loud celebrations from the home fans interrupted his interaction with the media. He even questioned whose idea it was to hold a press conference in that location.
Klopp addresses lackluster Liverpool showing
For Liverpool, Colombian international Luis Diaz made his first start, replacing Diego Jota on the left wing after his parents were kidnapped in Colombia. Fortunately, both of them have been rescued by the police authorities. Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez were both named on the bench in the front three. Moreover, in defense, Klopp gave chances to his other options, resting his first-choice players.
Liverpool’s boss denied fatigue as a reason for their performance after playing back-to-back against Luton Town and Toulouse. Instead, he cited a lack of aggression and mentioned that tactically, they intended to play the game in a certain way but failed to implement it on the pitch. Additionally, decisions in defensive battles led to the loss.
