Jurgen Klopp admits Liverpool did not 'enjoy Bournemouth challenge'

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has confessed his side did not look up for the challenge of breaking down a stubborn Bournemouth defence on Saturday as they fell to a 1-0 defeat.

Just six days after putting seven unanswered goals past Manchester United, Klopp's side slumped to a shock defeat against a Bournemouth side who began the day bottom of the Premier League, with Philip Billing's first-half goal getting the job done.

Mohamed Salah missed a penalty after the break, summing up his struggles on what was an uncomfortable day for Liverpool.

"Absolutely [disappointed], absolutely," Klopp told BT Sport after the game. "What can I say? It was never really our game.

"Of course we were dominant in the first half, they had their counter attacks what they wanted to have, we didn’t have.

"I think the spaces we had to play in were super clear, super open, and we didn’t use them often enough - the spaces next to their two midfielders, the rest was more or less busy with covering other spaces but we didn’t use that often enough, didn’t enjoy the challenge enough to face a deep, compact side.

"It’s clear we cannot win all the balls but little things make a massive difference, then we go one nil down - not helpful, obviously, on the counter attack.

"They did always the same stuff but it was successful because we didn’t defend it well, then I thought we started okay in the second half, we get the penalty, miss it, then after that we were in a real rush and didn’t create enough."

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Billing's goal was the result of a simple cross from outside the box and while Klopp admitted he was not certain what had happened to his defence, he conceded his side should have been able to deal with the pressure.

"We cannot go through it completely, pass the ball, don't cover the space. I don't know 100% anymore how the positioning was, I need to watch it back," the boss said.

"In the end, a ball comes from the outside into the inside and probably it should be defendable as well but I have to watch it back."