Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp on Simon Mignolet's mistake vs Arsenal - 'A second hand would have helped'

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Tom Doyle22 December 2017

Jurgen Klopp was left to rue a series of defensive mistakes - particularly from Simon Mignolet - as Liverpool let a two-goal lead slip to draw 3-3 at Arsenal on Friday night.

Liverpool took a deserved two-goal lead 52 minutes into the Emirates Stadium clash after Philippe Coutinho and Mohamed Salah struck either side of half-time, but Arsenal scored three goals in 388 seconds to take a stunning lead.

Alexis Sanchez gave Arsenal hope by halving the deficit after 53 minutes, before Liverpool goalkeeper Mignolet lost the flight of Granit Xhaka's long-range strike to tip the ball weakly into his own net.

Mesut Ozil put the Gunners in front with 32 minutes left on the clock, but Roberto Firmino equalised with the last goal of the game after 71 minutes.

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Liverpool's season has been defined by a weak defence letting down a free-scoring attack, with Klopp's side scoring 41 goals while letting in 23 in 19 games.

Speaking to Sky Sports after the game, Klopp said of Mignolet: "He misjudged it. A second hand would have helped but that is how it is.

"You don't need to make it bigger than it is. It felt like we shouldn't have conceded but we did.

"Defending is a team thing. Today we make individual mistakes and that is not cool.

"My job is to think about the performance and that was a winning performance.

"If you want, the draw is our halfway win. We are always a better side when we draw.

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"We have to take the good things and work on the lesser good things.

"You need to be angry with yourself, not sad or insecure.

"We came back into the game and scored our third. The point is the minimum we deserve.

"Because of the intensity of the game it was not easy to create clearer chances.

"When you get a point at Arsenal it is usually OK but after this give me a few minutes to get there.

"Three goals at Arsenal should be enough. We defended most of the time pretty well. We did not give space away.

"After they score the first and the second, it is not easy but we need to deal with these situations better."