Liverpool Boss Klopp Reveals Conversation With Alisson After Goalkeeper's Nightmare Against Man City

Jurgen Klopp admitted that goalkeeper Alisson Becker's mistakes cost Liverpool FC the crucial clash with Manchester City on Sunday in the 2020-21 Premier League. While the 1-4 loss at Anfield more or less thrashed the Reds' hopes of defending the title, Klopp backed the Brazilian gloveman to come back stronger.

After failing to convert a penalty in the first half, Ilkay Gundogan made up for it by scoring the opening goal of the game just four minutes into the second period. However, just 17 minutes from the time, Alisson's poor clearance allowed Phil Foden to set up Gundogan to give Pep Guardiola's side a 2-1 lead at Anfield. Three minutes later, Alisson again at fault, gifted the ball to Bernardo Silva, who assisted Raheem Sterling's header for Manchester City's third goal.

The 20-year-old midfielder, who was one of the star performers for Manchester City on Sunday night, saved the best for the last as he took Alisson by surprise with his powerful high shot that was nowhere in reach of the Brazilian goalkeeper. It was a great finish for the visitors as the 1-4 loss turned out to be Liverpool's heaviest home league defeat since October 2005.

"We made two massive mistakes and [it was] pretty much game over. In a game when you have such a good moment, these two goals killed off the game. I spoke to him [Alisson] a few seconds ago. He's obviously very disappointed. He was like 'not today, not today.' I said to him 'that's the problem with mistakes, you cannot decide when you make them, the only thing you can do is learn from them,'" Klopp told reporters in a post-match interview.

Klopp is certain that Alisson will learn from his mistake and "will make sure it never happens to him again."

"Tonight, it was decisive, but that's OK. He saved our lives I don't know how often, and he's absolutely a world-class goalie. Tonight, some things went a little bit wrong and we have to take that," Klopp added in the interview.

On being asked what he specifically said to Alisson after the nightmare game, Klopp revealed, "I said to him 'we have stands, you can shoot the ball there!' Look, it's a mistake, but different things came together. We didn't offer exactly the right things. In the first half, Ali played exceptional football and was really calm on the ball, passed it in small spaces, exactly what we wanted him to do. Then at the beginning of the second half, he didn't do that. He didn't see the offers because we didn't make them in the right way, and then the problem is that he doesn't shoot the ball somewhere far away from the danger spots. He knows that. I can't help him through the night. We all have nights like this, and tomorrow he will be OK again."

Liverpool are placed fourth in the league table with 40 points after 23 games, 10 points behind leaders Manchester City, who still have a game in hand.