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Football

21st Jan 2021

Jurgen Klopp blames himself as Liverpool fall to “impossible” defeat to Burnley

JOE

Klopp’s side lost their first home league game in almost four years

Jurgen Klopp admitted that he was to blame as his Liverpool side suffered a shock defeat at home to Burnley – their first home league loss in nearly four years.

Liverpool had dominated the game in terms of the number of chances created at Anfield, with Divock Origi coming closest to an opening goal when he hit the underside of the Burnley crossbar when one-on-one on Nick Pope in first-half stoppage time.

But with little under ten minutes remaining, Ashley Barnes was brought down by Alisson inside the Liverpool area. He was able to pick himself up and tuck away the decisive goal from the penalty spot, claiming a famous win for Burnley.

Speaking to Sky Sports after the game, Klopp refused to lay any of the blame at his players’ feet, insisting he was responsible.

“We lost a game I think is impossible to lose but we did it,” Klopp said. “That’s my fault because my job is to make sure the boys feel the right amount of confidence and make the right decisions, these kind of things.

“That obviously didn’t work out tonight. We had the ball a lot, we created some situations and it was all okay, but in the final moment our decision making is not right.”

The Premier League champions are now six points adrift of league leaders Manchester United, though Manchester City could stretch the margin to the top to seven if they win their game in hand.

Klopp’s side face United in the FA Cup over the weekend, before returning to league action away at Tottenham.