Sheffield United: Liverpool boss in awe of Bramall Lane atmosphere

Jurgen Klopp, the Liverpool manager, likened appearing at Bramall Lane to "playing against a wall" after expressing his admiration for the relationship between Sheffield United's team and its supporters.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp: Nigel French/PA Wire.Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp: Nigel French/PA Wire.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp: Nigel French/PA Wire.

Speaking after a mistake from Dean Henderson gifted the visitors a narrow win, Klopp acknowldged a draw would have been a fair result given United's contribution to the fixture.

But it was the atmosphere inside the stadium, and particularly the bond Wilder's players share with their coaching staff and fans, which most impressed the German.

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"You need a complete performance to win games in this league, that's for sure," Klopp said. "That was a proper unit, team, manager, crowd all together. It is like playing against a wall. I still think we deserved it but yes we were lucky."

Klopp was presented with a specially commissioned bottle of champagne by United after the match, to honour his achievement of being named FIFA coach of the year last week.

Confirming he had studied Wilder's team in detail beforehand - laughing off a journalist's suggestion he will have known "little" about them - Klopp nevertheless admitted one aspect had taken him by surprise.

"I saw three games of them, so I knew all about them as much as I could," Klopp said. paying tribute to Wilder's methods. "I was very impressed, the way they play and they way the fight.

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"They have the proper basis to be a really uncomfortable opponent, particularly here. They have so many good things that give you a chance of winning games. That's my first game against Chris, he's loud. I thought I was loud but he is loud and his boys listen."

Sheffield United supporters at Bramall Lane: Simon Bellis/SportimageSheffield United supporters at Bramall Lane: Simon Bellis/Sportimage
Sheffield United supporters at Bramall Lane: Simon Bellis/Sportimage

Although Liverpool dominated possession, they struggled to translate it into clear cut opportunities until Sadio Mane struck a post during the closing stages of the first-half having earlier sliced wide from Virgil van Dyke's pass. United were the better side for much of the second but their work was undone when Henderson, who later made an excellent save to deny Mohamed Salah, failed to gather Georginio Wijnaldum's shot and allowed it to squeeze through his legs.

"We had our moments, we started well and then it was really difficult," Klopp said. "Our passes weren't at the right speed. We were always waiting for trying to find someone else.

"We found half spaces often, but they defended the spaces. That made the game at bit hard and tough, so all respect to Sheffield United. To do that for 95 minutes, that deserves respect. We had luck around the goal, that's for sure. If it had have been a draw, then I would be sat here saying that would be fair enough. I didn't think we deserved to lose though."