Jurgen Klopp was in no mood to discuss tactics after they beat Arsenal on penalties in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday.
The Reds made 11 changes to the team that beat Tottenham 2-1 on Sunday, with the likes of Caoimhin Kelleher, Neco Williams, Sepp van den Berg, Rhian Brewster and Harvey Elliott – the youngest player to play a competitive fixture at Anfield – all included in the starting XI against the Gunners.
While the Reds took an early lead through Shkodran Mustafi’s own goal, they soon themselves 3-1 behind by the 36th minute and trailed Arsenal until Divock Origi’s 90th minute equaliser.
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The Belgian striker’s goal took the game into penalties, where 20-year-old goalkeeper Kelleher saved Dani Ceballos’ effort before 18-year-old Curtis Jones converted to send the Reds through to the quarter-finals.
While Klopp admitted his side were sloppy at times, he says tactics take a back seat on such a memorable night.
“We made some mistakes, we played some average passes,” he told Sky Sports. “We were too open at times. We can talk about tactics, but who cares on a night like this? I hoped for the boys they would have a game to remember. What they did tonight, I lost it really.
“It’s like a dream to play for the first time at Anfield, but things might not be going right and you have to stay on track. All our goals we scored were wonderful.”
The German coach went on to highlight the young players who impressed at Anfield, admitting that midfielder Jones was not supposed to take the decisive spot kick.
“Kelleher is an outstanding talent. The crossing from Williams, he might not thought he would play tonight.
“Jones… it was not my decision in the end for him to take the last penalty. When I saw the list, Origi was the taker of the last one and they changed it obviously.
“If you don’t win nobody remembers it in three years, if it works out the boys will remember it forever.”
Liverpool will find out who they will face in the quarter-finals when the draw is made on Thursday morning.
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