Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp shares private Alisson message after Crystal Palace scare

Jurgen Klopp has admitted that he thanked Alisson Becker for saving Liverpool’s blushes as the Reds earned a welcome victory over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Sunday afternoon. The visitors closed the gap to Premier League leaders Manchester City to nine points by claiming the spoils against Patrick Vieira’s side, who were unable to prevent their opponents from leaving them empty-handed at the final whistle.

Virgil van Dijk gave Liverpool an early lead when he rose highest to thump home a towering header with just eight minutes on the clock.

The Reds doubled their advantage ahead of the interval through Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain before Odsonne Edouard halved the deficit for Palace with a close-range finish.

Fabinho went on to dispatch a controversial penalty in the closing stages of the match to rubber-stamp the points for Liverpool.

The Reds were helped tremendously by Alisson, who produced a string of remarkable saves to keep Palace at bay as they pushed for an equaliser during the second half.

The 29-year-old was at his brilliant best throughout the encounter and earned no shortage of praise from Klopp after the final whistle.

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“I said to him now: ‘Thank you for saving our backside again’,” the Liverpool boss told Sky Sports.

“He said: ‘That’s my job’. Of course it is very helpful to have a world-class goalkeeper at the back!”

Klopp went on to insist that Liverpool endured a game of two halves against Palace after stepping off the gas before their late penalty was awarded as the clock ticked down.

“It was a bit Jekyll and Hyde football today,” he added.

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“You could see how good we can be, we were incredible in the first 35 minutes. Then after an intense week – away at Arsenal – I don’t have any real explanation but the intensity might be one.

“We became sloppy in the last line. In the second half we were not compact, the first line pressed too high and the distance was not right.

“We played a high line and did not catch them offside which was our fault of course.”

Klopp was also quizzed on the incident that saw Liverpool given a last-gasp spot-kick when Palace goalkeeper Vicente Guaita was deemed to have fouled Diogo Jota inside the area.

The German coach refused to be drawn into adding to the controversy around the situation by admitting that he understood the vocal frustrations of the home crowd.

“I didn’t see it back, but I don’t think I have to because we thought it was [a penalty] and the referee did,” said Klopp.

“The Crystal Palace people did not, which I understand. It was a big three points for us.

“An intense period so a little breather now which helps. Then we start again.”

source: express.co.uk