Michael Owen explains why Jurgen Klopp will be ‘concerned’ after Liverpool win over LASK

Michael Owen has explained why he thinks Jurgen Klopp will be “concerned” by his Liverpool side after they secured a 3-1 win in their Europa League opener agains LASK on Thursday night.

Klopp’s side side came from behind for the fourth time in six matches as goals from Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz and substitute Mohamed Salah secured victory.

And Owen believes the growing trend of falling behind will be a worry for Klopp and his backroom staff.

“I think he will be slightly concerned, they’ll probably look at it and think ‘why has that happened? Is it a coincidence? Does it happen too much to draw some conclusions to it?” He said.

“The overriding feeling would be a little bit of relief, it’s a great first result away from home, you get three points then all of a sudden you’re in a really strong position.

“He will be delighted but a few concerns about why it’s happening all the time. It’s some character they show to come back and win.”

It was the German manager’s 50th European victory for the club – surpassing the record he held with Rafael Benitez – but he played down the achievement in his post-match interview.

“Let me say it like this, if I still have 50 after the group stage, then even if I’ve still got the most wins in Europe as a Liverpool manager then everybody will hate that,” the Liverpool manager said.

“The highest number of wins but everybody will hate it.

“So it’s nice – we have played a lot of games in Europe, but it is good we have won that many and we have frequently qualified for finals.

“No it’s great but probably because the competition now has so many more games than in the past.”

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Klopp made 11 changes from the weekend win over Wolves and that contributed to the disjointed, sluggish start.

LASK, in the biggest game in their history, took full advantage as they flew out of the blocks and scored through Florian Flecker’s expertly taken strike from a well-rehearsed corner.

“Tough start, yes. Obviously the first shot on target after a set-piece and we conceded,” the Reds boss added.

“We had very good moments but I saw the boys didn’t feel that. It was not that we could gain confidence from our good moments – we didn’t seem to think we should do that again.

“So we suffered from the less good moments confidence-wise and frustration grew. It makes no sense. Human, but it makes no sense anyway.

“We showed them (at half-time) two football situations from the first half where we did pretty well. The boys clearly thought there was nothing good in the first half but that was not true.

“We told them they had to get rid of the frustration getting back into the game again, and then we would have a good chance to turn it around, and that’s what we did eventually.

“I’m really, really happy because I said before I knew it would be really difficult, and it was difficult, even if people didn’t believe me. Well-deserved win in the end and that’s it.

“I know that people expect us to fly through this competition. In the group stage it will not happen, in the knockout it will not happen. We have to dig in, dig into it.”