Football: Soccer-Klopp takes positives from Liverpool’s season-opening draw at Chelsea

(Reuters) – Manager Juergen Klopp said he was encouraged by Liverpool’s performance in a 1-1 Premier League draw at Chelsea on Sunday, despite his side having had the advantage in the game.

Liverpool started well, going ahead in the season-opener after Luis Diaz turned in a defence-splitting pass by Mohamed Salah at the far post.

However, they failed to finish off their opponents and Chelsea equalised through defender Axel Disasi, with the teams sharing the points.

“I’m okay with the point… We had a really good start to the game, I liked that a lot,” Klopp told reporters.

“Everything was there, what we’ve been working on. But then we opened the door for Chelsea, we lost the ball in one or two situations which was unnecessary. Chelsea got better in the game … and we had to dig really deep and fight hard.

“I saw a lot of things I liked and some things I didn’t like particularly. It’s a first game at a tough place, and I tend to see it as a positive.”

With Liverpool searching for a winner in the second half, attacker Salah was taken off in the 77th minute, marking the first time in seven seasons that he has failed to score in the first round of Premier League fixtures.

The Egyptian, who is tied with Alan Shearer, Wayne Rooney and Frank Lampard for most goals scored on opening day, appeared unhappy with the substitution, peeling the tape around his wrists and throwing it to the ground, but Klopp played down the significance of his reaction.

“I didn’t have a conversation yet with him,” Klopp said. “I did not know that if he could have scored in that game it would have been an all-time record or whatever.

“I understand his disappointment, but I’m the manager of the whole team. In that moment we needed fresh legs, (the substitution) made sense for us.

“It was super intense for everybody. That’s all I can say about it, his reaction was absolutely okay.”

Sunday’s clash had an added element of drama to it, given that the two teams are locked in a transfer battle over Moises Caicedo.

Chelsea currently appear to be favourites to sign the Brighton & Hove Albion player, despite British media on Friday saying that Liverpool had agreed a deal for the Ecuadorean midfielder.

Both clubs have also been linked with a move for Southampton’s Romeo Lavia, with Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino saying the west London club need to make signings to bolster their midfield.

Klopp declined to comment on Caicedo and Lavia, but when asked about Pochettino’s comments, he said: “That’s what each Chelsea manager wants, and usually they get it.”

Liverpool next host Bournemouth on Saturday.

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(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru, editing by Pritha Sarkar)