“That’s the story of the game” — Klopp faults Van Dijk for Liverpool draw

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has pointed to defensive lapses as the primary cause of his team’s collapse in their recent Premier League encounter against Aston Villa at Villa Park.

Liverpool seemed to be cruising to victory after establishing a commanding 3-1 lead, courtesy of goals from Cody Gakpo, Jarrel Quansah, and an own goal by Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez early in the match. However, Villa mounted a late comeback, securing a dramatic 3-3 draw in the dying minutes of the game.

Substitute Jhon Duran played a pivotal role in Villa’s resurgence, scoring two crucial goals in the final moments of the match. Klopp, in his post-match interview, acknowledged the impact of Duran’s performance but emphasized Liverpool’s defensive shortcomings.

“Before we changed, we gave them too many chances,” Klopp lamented, reflecting on Villa’s persistent attacking threat.

“It was very intense for the boys. They created too much. They were too often in our box and we made the changes.”

Despite widespread criticism directed at midfielder Alexis MacAllister for Villa’s second goal, Klopp singled out defender Virgil Van Dijk for criticism, attributing the team’s defensive lapse to his errant pass that led to Duran’s first goal.

“Then we made a mistake. We shouldn’t have passed the ball there. It happens but in that moment, it opens the door,” Klopp explained, highlighting the pivotal moment in the match.

Liverpool’s failure to hold onto their lead effectively extinguished their hopes of reclaiming the Premier League title, with Klopp admitting that conceding the late equalizer was a significant blow to their aspirations.

“We wanted to win the game. In the moment, when we gave away the 3-2, that was really tricky. That’s it, that’s the story of the game,” Klopp concluded.