Jurgen Klopp accuses players of losing mind in defeat

London: Jurgen Klopp accused his Liverpool players of losing their minds in the defeat by Watford that he rated as his worst moment of his career at the Merseyside club so far. Klopp felt that Nathan Ake’s third-minute goal should have been ruled out after the goalkeeper Adam Bogdan had dropped Ben Watson’s corner. But, rather than blame the referee Mark Clattenburg for the defeat, the German hit out at the reaction of his players.

Odion Ighalo added two more goals for Watford and Klopp said: “The reaction has to be better. We lost our mind after the first goal, we lost our compact formation after the first goal, we didn’t play easy, as we should have done.

“We made bigger faults than the ref today. But in my opinion, you have not to save the ball, you have to have both hands on the ball and he had both hands on the ball, so it’s a foul. I think that’s the situation. That’s what happened. Mistakes, fouls, refs, whatever, can happen. That’s football.

“It was a bad start and really not the best reaction, not the best reaction to the goals. So it was a very difficult first half. We were better in the second half after a few little changes. With a bit of luck, we could score a goal after half-time, then the game is open again.

“We didn’t do it and then a counter-attack decided the game.

“I would say hopefully it’s the most disappointing moment in my whole Liverpool FC life, from now. We don’t feel good today, because we came here to do something really different to what you saw. There was a big space between what we wanted to do and what you saw and that’s what we have to fill before the next game against Leicester. Today, we have to accept the result, we have to keep on working and play better football.”

The defeat meant Liverpool missed another chance to climb towards the top four and there is frustration at Anfield that the team have not been able to build on the thrashings of Manchester City and Southampton.

Asked if he could explain Liverpool’s inconsistency, Klopp said: “No, but we work on it.

“After Southampton, everybody thought ‘wow’, and after Man City. But that was one part of the thing we can do, one side. Now we saw completely the other side. Maybe the truth is somewhere in the middle. We have to work, so that it’s more on the Man City, Southampton, Chelsea performances. I know how strong this team can be. It’s my job to help them so they can show it much more often than we have.”

Klopp did not send on Christian Benteke until the 74th minute but he rejected suggestions that the Belgian could be sold in January with Chelsea apparently interested.

“Maybe it was not the best decision [to send Benteke on late], I don’t know, we will never find out,” Klopp said. “For today I decided first for Divock (Origi), then for Christian. It’s up to the player to change it.” Asked if Benteke could be sold, Klopp added: “If there is the same probability I’ve heard in all the other transfer rumours since I’ve been here then I’m pretty cool. Nil per cent.”