Or very close to that, as he put out a team that included just two natural defenders at the Amex Stadium – and came away with a win that lifted the Reds back into the top four.
Now Klopp is demanding even more of his players. “We can improve in so many things,” he said after the game.
“We need results and I’m happy about that and the result looks like we are flying – but unfortunately we are not like that. We need to carry on, that’s the most important thing.” Liverpool hardly needed a defence against a Brighton side who hardly had a kick until after the break – and by then they were three down.
The first two goals were just 79 seconds apart, laid on by the brilliant Philippe Coutinho.
And they came after Albion striker Glenn Murray had wasted the easiest chance of the afternoon.
Murray skied a close-range effort that should have broken the deadlock after a swift break down the left.
His miss shook up the visitors so much they suddenly found their cutting edge.
First it was Emre Can, playing at the heart of the defence, coming up from the back for Coutinho’s corner from the right to score with a thunderous header.
Then Albion were two down, a move of breathtaking speed and accuracy ending with Coutinho (below) crossing for Roberto Firmino, at the far post, to ram home his tenth of the season.
Brighton boss Chris Hughton lamented: “For me the biggest disappointment was you stay in the game for 30 minutes and are still very much in the game and then we concede from a corner and a minute later on a counter attack they get a second goal.”
These days Liverpool are often at their most dangerous when they are being threatened and it was the same old story for their third. Simon Mignolet pulled off a wonder stop to deny Murray and in the blink of an eye Mohamed Salah had sprinted almost the length of the field before sliding a pass to Firmino, who beat Brighton keeper Matthew Ryan without breaking his stride.
The Seagulls got a break when Jordan Henderson pushed Shane Duffy at a corner. Referee Graham Scott didn’t hesitate to point to the spot and Murray buried memories of his earlier miss, firing into the roof of the net.
It gave the home fans some belief and Hughton’s players responded, although Salah should have chalked up goal number 19 for Liverpool but shot tamely straight at Ryan and Coutinho hit the post.
There was still a fragile look about the Liverpool defence – no surprise, really, with Can at stand-in left back, Gini Wiijnaldum in the back four – and the dangerous Murray flashed a volley inches wide.
It was the seventh time this season that Liverpool had scored at least three goals in an away game, yet their fans never feel comfortable.
But Coutinho lifted all the doubts and fears with one of the cheekiest goals you will ever see, threading a free-kick underneath the jumping wall for Liverpool’s fourth.
The Brazilian then produced a shot that was diverted into the net off Lewis Dunk to complete the rout.