Jurgen Klopp laments Liverpool ‘opening the door’ for Bournemouth to come back in Premier League game

JURGEN Klopp admitted Liverpool had only themselves to blame for a shock 4-3 defeat at Bournemouth after conceding three goals in the last 14 minutes on Sunday.

Liverpool's German manager Jurgen Klopp.

JURGEN Klopp admitted Liverpool had only themselves to blame for a shock 4-3 defeat at Bournemouth after conceding three goals in the last 14 minutes on Sunday.

Klopp’s side looked to be cruising to victory at Dean Court after taking a 3-1 lead midway through the second half.

But the Reds completely lost their composure as a series of defensive mistakes allowed Bournemouth to storm back for their first ever win against Liverpool in one of the most dramatic games of the season so far.

Liverpool boss Klopp praised Bournemouth for refusing to surrender and conceded his side were guilty of failing to finish off the hosts.

“First of all I have to say a deserved win for Bournemouth. A big fight from them. We gave the game away at a decisive point,” Klopp said.

“We opened the door and they ran through and scored some wonderful goals. So that’s the deserved result.

“Even when we are in the lead at 2-0 it’s how we try to play football then we were static. We gave the game away because we didn’t play football any more.

“If we learn it’s OK. At 2-0 or 3-1 the game is not decided but the way we played after we gave it away. We gave Bournemouth the ball. These things happen.”

He also said: “At 2-0, already, we started to not play too well. I didn’t like it too much. I told the boys: “The game isn’t done at 2-0”.

“The boys lost a bit of concentration. It was clear something could happen at half-time. We gave the game away because we didn’t play football any more.

“2-1 changed the game a bit… it obviously wasn’t a penalty, but it was given. But we opened the door at 3-1. Bournemouth had to run through it, of course, and they did.

“No-one is born a winner. Not in the first two or three months. You have to learn it.”

But, he is doing anything but panic despite opening the way for Chelsea to go four points clear.

“We have no attitude or character problem,” he said. “No-one is born a winner. Not in the first two or three months. You have to learn it.

“It doesn’t feel too good right now but sometimes we need it. So I’m not angry. These things happen and you cannot be champions in December.

“I would say we were 100 percent before now. Now we are 99 percent. But it’s quite simple to go back to 100 percent.

“Nothing happened today apart from losing three points. Everything else is ok.”

Bournemouth are in just their second season in the top-flight and this was arguably the tiny south coast club’s finest hour.

“It would have been easy for our players to give up and see out time, but our group knows not to give up,” Cherries boss Eddie Howe said.

“We scored at the right time, and the easy thing when you equalise is to sit back and defend that but thankfully the lads kept going.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp

“In the second half we looked like scoring every time we attacked. For this club and everyone involved it’s make for a very special day.

“These days are huge for us. We’d never been in the Premier League until last season so we’re making history for the club.”

Originally published as Jurgen Klopp laments Liverpool ‘opening the door’ for Bournemouth to come back in Premier League game