Jurgen Klopp has revealed that he was not surprised by Everton’s approach to Sunday’s Merseyside derby, which Liverpool won 2-0.

For an hour, the Toffees frustrated their hosts, defending deep and in numbers. They also attempted to disrupt the flow of the game by taking their time from goal kicks.

The approach nearly got results too with the visitors‘ resistance eventually being breached on the hour mark through Andy Robertson, before Divock Origi added a second goal in the closing stages.

Speaking at full-time, Klopp confessed that he was expecting Everton to set up as they did.

„We expected [Everton’s tactics] but we didn’t react well,“ he said. „It’s difficult. Each ball Jordan Pickford has he takes five minutes so we couldn’t gain rhythm which you need to break down a low block. We expected them to do it.“

The German went on to praise Liverpool’s eventual response after the interval.

„Thank God the game has two halves,“ Klopp stated. „We didn’t play particularly well in the first half. They made it uncomfortable but we didn’t get in behind the last line. We didn’t have enough movement.

„We weren’t quick enough. We passed the ball into the area they had nine players. In the second half we were much more direct and caused them much more problems. The goals were wonderful.“

The win moved Liverpool back to within a single point of Premier League leaders Manchester City, who beat Watford on Saturday.

The Reds are next in action in the Champions League on Wednesday, when they host Villarreal in first leg of the pair’s Champions League semi-final tie.

---

For more from Matt O’Connor-Simpson, follow him on Twitter