Liverpool clean sheet ensures 'perfect day' for Klopp
Timothy Abraham
December 7, 2019 18:22 MYT
December 7, 2019 18:22 MYT
Jurgen Klopp said a first clean sheet in 14 games meant Liverpool's 3-0 win over Bournemouth on Saturday was a "perfect" peformance.
Klopp's side cruised to an emphatic victory over the Cherries thanks to goals from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keita and Mohamed Salah.
It was Liverpool's 15th Premier League win of the season and put them 11 points clear at the top of the table, although that gap will be cut to eight should Leicester City beat Aston Villa on Sunday.
However, the manner of Liverpool's first shutout in all competitions since a 1-0 win over Sheffield United on September 29 particularly pleased the German.
"It was a professional performance, controlled, scoring wonderful goals. It was a perfect game," Klopp told the BBC's Match Of The Day.
"We didn't want to make it overly exciting again so we wanted to control Bournemouth.
"The most used word in the dressing room at the moment is clean sheet – finally! There were wonderful performances; it was a really good game for a lot of players.
"We asked is it possible to enjoy all these games. The answer is 'yes'.
"There will be moments especially between the games where we have to switch the machine off, then we really can recover. And then switch it on again and have to be there."
63 - Mohamed Salah has scored his 63rd goal in his 100th Premier League appearance; only Alan Shearer (79), Ruud van Nistelrooy (68) and Sergio Aguero (64) scored more in their first 100 games in the competition than the Egyptian. King. pic.twitter.com/sPlH1LiFRJ — OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 7, 2019
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The only sour note for the Reds was an injury to centre-back Dejan Lovren, who limped out in the first half, but Klopp is optimistic the Croatia international's injury was not a serious one.
"Lovren was hopefully cramp," Klopp said. "We didn't want to take any risks, but apart from that it was all round nearly perfect day.
"We have only three days and play Salzburg in an all-or-nothing game. It is the next big game for us."