Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp has admitted that his side posted a below-average performance in their friendly loss to Austrian side RB Salzburg.
Liverpool have now lost two friendly pre-season games, against Manchester United and RB Salzburg, and won two against Crystal Palace and Leipzig.
Meanwhile, Klopp is not happy that his boys are not playing according to instructions.
Klopp named an inexperienced side against Salzburg, with Luis Diaz, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah introduced at the hour mark with the Reds a goal down. The Reds were unable to find an equalizer.
The focus now shifts to Wembley, though the Liverpool boss has warned his players there is plenty to improve.
“First half we made too many mistakes, which they could use,” Klopp told the club’s official website.
“We had good moments as well, we could have scored obviously in the whole game like four or five goals at least. Didn’t do that because we were in the first half – if you want to talk about football – we were too open, we were too wide, and we were not connected enough in moments when you lose the ball.
“Then everything is open, it’s like a motorway, and with their speed, that’s how they had their chances, especially when you lose simple passes where nobody can react really.”
He added: “We played the game out of full training. We had to make a lot of changes – that’s fine, I take that. But what I can say: it’s at least average to lose a game.”
Darwin Nunez started the match but was unable to find the kind of goalscoring touch he produced against RB Leipzig when he scored four goals in a half.
Liverpool’s big-money signing has come under a lot of scrutiny in pre-season, but Klopp defended the striker for his quiet display up against the Salzburg defense.
“Darwin was much too often alone,” Klopp said. “Everybody dropped, everybody was involved in the build-up but too wide and we could only pass the ball to Darwin in the box.
“He had his moments and nearly scored, but he needs much more support around him.”
