Reds Boss Jürgen Klopp Admits James Milner Was Right to Make 'More Boring' Liverpool Comments

Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp has admitted that he agrees with James Milner's contention that the Reds need to play more boring football to see out victories. The Merseyside club blew a 2-0 lead against Arsenal in Friday night's thrilling encounter - which saw the Gunners score three goals in give minutes, before the game was eventually drawn 3-3.

Speaking after the match, via the Liverpool Echo, the former Borussia Dortmund manager - who is renowned for his attacking style of football - was asked whether he agreed with Milner's comments that Liverpool need to play less attractive football to grind out results. 

Klopp said: "He’s right, he is 100% right. Controlling a game is what he means, but it was not the situation, it was not that we gave the game away.

"Pretty much everyone was in and around the box (for the first goal). We are professional football players so everyone saw it, if Joe Gomez makes a step in this direction and shoots the ball to Tottenham and let them play with it, there would not be a situation. It was a non-situation." 

"But because we didn’t react well, they had a goal. It was nothing about controlling the game – you cannot avoid all crosses over 95 or 96 minutes."

Considering the rapid turn-around in the game that saw his defence buckle under the pressure of Arsenal's potent attacking play, Klopp said: "It’s difficult then and that’s why you have to avoid these situations – and five minutes can be enough to learn from the game, but in this five minutes they scored three times so that then makes it even more difficult.

"They could have scored once and we are still in the lead and everything is fine."