Klopp Hails Liverpool Midfielder After 4-0 Win: 'Don't Have 5 Million Players' Like Him

Jurgen Klopp has heaped praise on midfielder Thiago Alcantara for his performance in Liverpool FC's 4-0 win over Manchester United on Tuesday.

Klopp said there are not many players who can dominate a game like Thiago. The Spanish midfielder completed 100-plus passes against Manchester United at Anfield, along with Virgil van Dijk.

There are only four instances of a player completing 100+ passes in a Premier League match against the Red Devils to date. All of them have occurred this season, with two of them being at Anfield on Tuesday - Thiago 105, Van Dijk 106, according to Opta Joe.

Alcantara, who moved from Bayern Munich to Liverpool in the summer of 2020, had an injury-hit maiden campaign with the Reds. The Spaniard is proving to be an influential figure this term, with Klopp hailing the midfielder after another impressive effort. The German boss also said he needs to keep the former Barcelona player fit to have more of such performances.

"He is a good player. We have to keep him fit. He has good rhythm, which helps. He is in the right spaces, the little turns and passes. We don't have five million players like this on the planet. Only a few see things earlier than everyone else and also have the technical ability to get the ball there as well; A top game from him. Everybody was outstanding and that is what you need to win against Man Utd," Klopp told BBC's "Match of the Day."

Even in the 2021-22 campaign, Thiago missed 20 games due to various injuries.

Liverpool substituted Thiago after 80 minutes on Tuesday, which raised questions regarding a possible injury. However, Klopp confirmed the decision to take Thiago off the field was not injury-related.

"He ripped his pants! No, shorts. Afterward he told me. I didn't get that. I thought it was something else, but obviously, that was fine," Klopp said in a post-match interview, Liverpool's website reported.

With the 4-0 loss, Manchester United have now conceded nine goals against Liverpool in two meetings this season in the Premier League and have failed to score even a single goal. The 9-0 combined scoreline against Liverpool have marked the Red Devils' heaviest defeat against a single opponent in a Premier League season.

After 31 games, Liverpool have 76 points and are at the top of the 2021-22 Premier League table. However, if Manchester City win their game against Brighton on Wednesday, Pep Guardiola's side will reclaim their top spot, pushing the Reds back to second place.