Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp has spread the blame for their leaky defence across the team as he prepares to pitch Cameroonian defender Joel Matip into Wednesday’s League Cup semi-final, second leg against Southampton.
On Saturday, Liverpool conceded three goals at Anfield for only the second time under Klopp as they lost 3-2 to lowly Swansea City in the Premier League, a defeat that has seen them drop to fourth, 10 points behind leaders Chelsea.
But the German coach was in no mood to concede the league title, promising his side would “fight for everything” as they seek to shore up the back four and reproduce the flowing football that marked the first half of their season.
“The final mistake is sometimes goalkeeper or defender, but most of the time it’s seven or eight players,” said Klopp. “It’s not about one player.
“It’s clear what we did wrong and we really have to do better. If it was that easy to buy one player then all the problems are solved, I would be silly not to do it.”
Liverpool have never lost when Matip has played and the 25-year-old seems likely to return to central defence on Wednesday following his problems with injury and international clearance.
Liverpool trail Southhampton 1-0 going into the return leg.
“It’s a night game at Anfield, if the crowd is good then it would help,” he said.
“In (the first leg) we knew it was not a good game for us. Still everything is possible for us.”
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