Jurgen Klopp speaks after Liverpool defeated Wolves 1-0 in their FA Cup third-round replay at Molineux.
Jurgen Klopp believes the calming effects of Naby Keita and Thiago Alcantara allowed Stefan Bajcetic to shine in Liverpool’s 1-0 FA Cup victory over Wolves.
Harvey Elliott’s first-half wondergoal was enough to end Klopp’s side’s a bad start to 2023, as the holders earned a place in the fourth round of the Cup with a gritty display at Molineux.
On Tuesday night, Bajcetic made his third start of the season and produced a calm performance on the basis of a midfield that has been under scrutiny in recent weeks as requests to enter the transfer market continue from outside the club.
Klopp was happy with the Spanish midfielder and believes he benefited from the quality and experience surrounding him, as Thiago produced a much-improved performance and Keita played 90 minutes on his first start since late May.
“Stefan is a good boy, a good player, extremely smart in his moves, so you need a solid start in the game the younger you are,” Klopp remarked. “So he had a few circumstances where I’m not sure if he noticed there was a room or simply hoped and turned, but he performed really well.
“What helps is that he wins these challenges and takes the last few feet before blocking the ball, which is excellent, and having Thiago next to him is extremely beneficial.
“Thiago is talking a lot on the pitch and Naby was there tonight which is really helpful. Both wingers defended really well and Cody was close to the center for us and around Ruben Neves. He kept the ball for us in possession, which was important for the link-up play.
“The full-backs were excellent, the central defenders were composed, and Caoimhin (Kelleher) was always available when we needed him. It was a fun game. We hoped to advance to the fourth round. Tonight is a significant indicator for us and our people back home that such things are feasible. There is a big game coming up this weekend, and I’m not sure what the fans would have thought if we had played another game like the last one, but they have something to look forward to, and we will battle together again.”
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