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Liverpool’s focus paid off in West Brom win: Jurgen Klopp

Roberto Firmino’s header in the first-half proved to to be the decisive moment in a tough game.

Liverpool’s focus paid off in West Brom win: Jurgen Klopp

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp applauds the Red's supporters after the full-time whistle (Photo: AFP)

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp praised his side’s concentration levels and battling qualities after they secured a gritty 1-0 victory over West Bromwich Albion on Sunday to enhance their hopes of securing a securing a top-four finish, according to a statement on the club website (www.liverpoolfc.com).

Brazilian attacker Roberto Firmino’s header in first-half stoppage-time ultimately proved the decisive moment in ensuring the Reds collected three vital points.

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Clearly thrilled with the result at a venue where Liverpool haven't had much luck in the past, Klopp said: “It is one of the most difficult places to come because in no game can you feel comfortable. Somebody asked me which result would have kept me a little bit calmer in the last few minutes and I said only 4-0 after 86 minutes! Maybe then I would have felt OK, but now it’s done. That makes it really difficult, so you need to be at your highest concentration level – but we have been. For us, it was very, very important because showing this concentration level until the end didn’t work each week in the last few months – but today, it was really good and I am happy about this.”

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There were some who felt that the Reds went overboard with their celebrations with the travelling supporters after the game, but Klopp brushed aside those accusations with a honest reply: “I don’t think we did crazy things, but yes we are very happy. They were only three points today; we had 63 before we came here, now 66 and that’s a wonderful number for the next six or seven days and then we want to have 69. I really thought that the boys were in a really difficult game in not the easiest situation, but they did really well. I am really happy about the performance.”

Full-back Alberto Moreno had a horror miss in the second-half, opting to shoot from distance despite having teammates in support and the German tactician revealed his thoughts on the incident: “I know everyone thinks you can play in Daniel Sturridge, but actually he would have been offside. Maybe there was another option that I didn’t see, I’d have to watch it again, but it’s completely normal in a situation like this, you think you have to do this [shoot]. He’s a good boy, really. I would have been happy for him, actually, if he’d scored this goal, but [there was] excitement until the end, which is pretty much always the way it is when we are involved.”

“He made an important save [from Matt Phillips with 10 minutes remaining] and in the end, it doesn’t look that spectacular, but he was really present around the set-pieces. I think three, four, five fists away, which was really good, I have to say. He was really lively, front-footed, all that stuff. Very important again,” Klopp added on goalkeeper Simon Mignolet’s performance.

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