Jota and Firmino ´surprise´ paid off, says Klopp after Liverpool´s draw with Man City

Jurgen Klopp says it was a “tough decision” to play Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino from the start against Manchester City but believes the element of surprise worked in his side’s favour. 

Talk before the game had centred on whether Jota – who had scored six goals in his previous four games, including a Champions League hat-trick against Atalanta in midweek – would start ahead of Firmino alongside Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah in attack. 

Klopp, though, plumped for all four from the start at the Etihad Stadium, with Salah giving the Reds an early lead from the penalty spot before Gabriel Jesus equalised before the break of the 1-1 draw.

Kevin De Bruyne missed the opportunity to claim a precious win for the hosts when he dragged a penalty wide before half-time, but Klopp thinks anything less than a point for his side would have been unfair. 

“It was a super football game from all points of view,” he told Sky Sports. “Two top teams ready for a massive fight.

“The energy level of both teams was incredible. You could see after 10 or 15 minutes everyone was breathing hard.

Hendo and Gini today #MCILIV pic.twitter.com/v8xxybzq5i

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) November 8, 2020

“It was tough for all the 22 on the pitch. Apart from the penalty they got I liked the game a lot.

“How we started was top, with a little surprise for the opponent with a different system. We won the balls, we broke through, we had counter-attacking moments but didn’t finish it off.

“Apart from that, it’s so tricky. It was a tough decision to change a system before we play City. But the boys are ready to adapt and perform. In a lot of moments we could have created bigger chances. It was really good football, the counter-attacks were really good.

“Of course, we could have played more football but it is difficult against them. We were dangerous, the build-up play was good.”