London: Liverpool coach Juergen Klopp said his side’s 0-0 draw at Chelsea on Tuesday was “a little step in the right direction” after a 4-1 drubbing by Manchester City last weekend and offered hope for Sunday’s match against league leaders Arsenal.
“Each success starts with being difficult to beat and we have to be difficult to beat again,” Klopp told reporters after his much-changed team survived an early onslaught by Chelsea.
“If we are difficult to beat against Arsenal, we can win this game. If not, Arsenal will just go over us,” he said ahead of the visit by the in-form Gunners to Anfield.
Klopp made six changes from the starting team who lost against Manchester City on Saturday, including three defenders, which he said represented “a real challenge” for his players.
After helping Chelsea by repeatedly losing possession early in the game, he praised his team for fixing the problems.
“Not the most spectacular one,” he said, referring to the game, “but a little step in the right direction.”
Eighth place
The draw left Liverpool in eighth place in the league table, seven points behind Tottenham Hotspur in the fourth Champions League qualifying spot having played a game less than Spurs.
Meanwhile, interim Chelsea coach Bruno Saltor said his players were only human as he tried to explain their dreadful goalscoring record this season, which cost Graham Potter his job as coach and was on display again against the Reds.
“Yes, we created enough chances to win the game, two goals disallowed,” Saltor told reporters. “The boys gave everything, they played with their heart and you can’t ask for more.”
Chelsea have scored 29 goals in 29 league games this season, and according to Opta have only twice netted fewer at this stage of the campaign, with 23 in 1921-22 and 16 two years later.
Asked whether he could explain the worst scoring record by Chelsea in 99 years, despite the club’s huge outlay on new players, Saltor said it was simply a question of taking opportunities with confidence.
Third coach
“They are human beings and the confidence has to be there,” the Spaniard said. “We just need to keep helping the boys. They have been through a lot as well. It’s been a tough season for them.”
Chelsea are now looking for their third coach of the campaign after German Thomas Tuchel was fired by Chelsea’s American owners in September and Potter was dismissed on Sunday after only 31 games in charge and the Blues stuck in mid-table.
Taking it one day at a time
Asked whether he thought he would be in charge of Chelsea again when they travel to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday — their last match before a Champions League quarter-final first leg away at Real Madrid — Saltor shrugged off the question.
“As it stands I expect to go home and rest and focus on the day by day,” he said.
Leicester City's woes mount
Aston Villa plunged Leicester City deeper into relegation danger with a 2-1 away win after the home side played the last 20 minutes with 10 men and had a stoppage-time penalty ruled out by VAR.
Substitute Bertrand Traore scored the 87th-minute winner at the King Power Stadium with a curled shot into the top corner moments after he came on against opponents who sacked manager Brendan Rodgers at the weekend.
It was his first league goal since May 2021 and left Leicester 19th and two points from safety.
Leeds rally to win
Leeds United rallied from a goal down to beat fellow Premier League strugglers Nottingham Forest 2-1 at a raucous Elland Road and move out of the relegation zone on Tuesday.
Forest, who began the game in 16th place, started in confident fashion and Orel Mangala gave them the lead in the 12th minute with a well-worked goal.
But Leeds responded in superb fashion and were ahead before the end of a rip-roaring opening half.
Jack Harrison smashed in a rebound to bring the hosts level in the 20th minute and in first-half stoppage time Luis Sinisterra beat Forest keeper Keylor Navas with a clinical low shot after cutting in from the left.
Leeds continued to play on the front foot in the second half and deservedly took a crucial victory that fired them up five places in the congested lower reaches of the table.
They are in 13th place with 29 points from 29 games played, two points clear of the relegation zone, while Forest’s worrying slide continues.
