Klopp praises Liverpool for ‘putting in completely different shift’ vs Ajax in ‘important step’

Jurgen Klopp was pleased that his Liverpool players were able to “put in a completely different shift” to get the better of Ajax at Anfield.
Liverpool were in need of a positive result after they suffered a shock 4-1 defeat at the hands of Napoli last week.
This was not going to be easy as Ajax have made a great start to the new campaign and they hammered Rangers 4-0 last week.
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The Reds got off to a promising start at Anfield though as Mohamed Salah found the net for the first time in four games.
The ball broke for the Egypt international inside the penalty area and he made no mistake with his left-footed strike.
Ajax did not lie down though and they equalised around the half-hour mark. Ex-Tottenham star Steven Bergwijn pulled the ball back to Mohammed Kudos in the penalty area.
The 22-year-old was in acres of space and his thunderous strike found the net via the underside of the crossbar.
Liverpool and Ajax exchanged chances after the interval but it was the hosts who piled on the pressure near the end.
They made the most of this as they found a winner in the 89th minute. Joel Matip forced the ball over the line with his header after being set up by Konstantinos Tsimikas.
This 2-1 win leaves Liverpool joint top of Group A. But Napoli will move three clear if they beat Rangers on Wednesday night.
Klopp stated post-match that Liverpool “played a lot of good stuff against a hard fighting opposition”:
“I think everybody could see that we understood and that we had to put a completely different shift into the game. The boys did that,” Klopp told BT Sport.
“We played a lot of good stuff against a hard-fighting opposition. Scored the first goal and should’ve scored more goals, from set pieces especially.
“I’m not sure it was their first attack, but Ajax didn’t have a lot. That’s how it is in our situation, anything can happen, but it was an incredible strike from [Mohammed] Kudus.
“It’s like another test. Everybody is hoping you go in the right direction and then you get another setback. You could see the impact of that.
“The pressing before the goal was much better than after the goal. Only a yard or two but if we press, we have to do it right.”
He added: “I’m not picky, in that sense [on Matip scoring]. It was a nice celebration that showed pretty much everything about what the boys thought today.
“Nothing is over. It is a first step, a very important step. Now we have a strange break, pretty long. Brighton is waiting.”
On Ajax getting in behind Liverpool too easily: “I have to watch it back. I thought we dealt really well with that, in that situation not, but that will always happen in football.
“If Ali [Alisson] has to make a save, then something went wrong beforehand.
“I understand that we talk about little details but for us, it’s not that important because it’s about conceding a chance, which can always happen, and then getting back to what it should’ve been.”