OPINION
Liverpool answered a few questions about their title credentials with a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Monday evening, but manager Jurgen Klopp was not fully satisfied with his team’s performance.
A first-half penalty from James Milner had given the Reds the lead before Sadio Mane made sure of the three points with an injury time strike as Liverpool secured their second successive win to start the season.
Klopp however highlighted areas where his team could improve after the match, and focused on the performances of two players in particular in his analysis.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the match (01:44 in video), Klopp said: “I would say both full-backs can play 70 per cent or 80 per cent better; it would have helped but we worked really hard and that’s absolutely OK.”
The full-backs on the night were Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, and both were admittedly far from their best against Palace.
Alexander-Arnold has not quite found his rhythm since returning from the World Cup with England, with the youngsters pinpoint crossing from last season nowhere to be seen yet this term.
Robertson had a slightly off day going forward but was tasked with containing Andros Townsend on the day, which is not an easy job.
Anyhow, with these comments Klopp has most certainly now kicked the door wide open for reserve full-backs Alberto Moreno and Nathaniel Clyne to state a case to start against Brighton on Saturday.
Both are players of the highest quality and can count themselves unlucky to be playing a back-up role, and comments like this from Klopp show that there is definitely chances for them to get a start in the upcoming matches.
What they must now do is work hard in training to convince Klopp they are ready to take that shot, with the German obviously highlighting those wide areas as concerns after the win over Palace.
If they do enough in training, then that shot may come after the door was kicked wide open for them on Monday.
