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Klopp held crisis talks after Reds loss

Cape Town - Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has revealed that he held a clear the air meeting with his player following their 3-2 loss to Swansea over the weekend.

The Reds, who face Southampton in an EFL second leg clash on Wednesday having lost the first leg 1-0, says his side need to start enjoying their football again.

The shock loss to the Swans brought an end to Liverpool's 12-month home unbeaten run.

While they are in a healthy fourth place in the Premier League standings, losses to Burnley and Bournemouth and now Swansea has undermined their title charge.

On the club's official website, Klopp bemoaned the nature of the goals his team have conceded.

He said: "The goals we have conceded in 2017 have been a little bit of the same story.

"The influence of throw-ins is a little bit too big on the goals we concede. It's not that teams create a lot of chances against us. That's still a good sign. OK, Manchester United had a few, but I think that's the nature of the thing. But usually, they don't create a lot and still score."

Loris Karius has taken the blame for a number of goals let in, with Klopp adding: "A few weeks ago, everybody spoke about the goalkeeper. That has absolutely no influence on the goals we're conceding at the moment. We can't say it's only the centre-half. Very often, the last mistake happens in this region, but that would be too easy.

"So we spoke about this and a few other things. It's about enjoying the role we have.

"We are Liverpool and a really good football-playing side, and we don't enjoy the job we have to do. If you are another team at the bottom of the league, then we have to defend 80 to 90 percent of the time, and 10 percent you can invest in counter-attacks and sometimes a set-piece, and all that stuff."

He concluded: "In our job, in 70 to 80 percent of all games, we are dominant. So we have to enjoy this, even when we don't come through after five minutes. That's how it is. That's the job to do. They concentrate even then on defensive situations. It was a football meeting with a few other parts of the game."

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