A much improved second-half performance at Villa Park was crucial towards sealing a comfortable win for Liverpool FC, admitted gaffer Jurgen Klopp as his team booked their place in the fourth round of the FA Cup.
The outbreak of COVID-19 at Aston Villa had prevented the Midlanders from fielding their first-team regulars in action on Friday night against their Merseyside opponents and the hosts’ largely youthful and inexperienced bunch of players gave their very best against a strong-looking Liverpool FC XI on paper.
Klopp’s men, however, upped their tempo in the closing 45 minutes of the game after the Villians had snatched a late equaliser in the first half to cancel out Sadio Mane’s opening goal.
Mohammad Salah and Gini Wijnaldum each found the back of the net and Mane completed his brace to earn a hard-earned win for the Anfield outfit, with Jurgen Klopp acknowledging, in his post-game interview, the fact that some of his players had to shake off their rustiness as the crunch top-flight fixture against Manchester United looms large.
“The kids did really well – that’s good. We had football problems. We needed a little bit longer but then it was completely clear.
“Problems in passing and moving. Too many on the wrong side of the ball – not enough recoveries of passes. We had chances and shot the ball directly at the goalie – we changed it in the second half.
“It was rusty but better in the second half. Against Southampton [1-0 defeat] from the first second they were more on the pitch but that was not the case today.”
“We have a lot players with no rhythm. We will do a lot of 11 v 11 training.”
