Jurgen Klopp expressed regret, admitting that Liverpool should have performed better after their title hopes were dealt a blow by a loss to Everton.

The loss at Goodison Park marked the first time Liverpool had been defeated there since 2010, with Everton emerging as 2-0 winners. This result sees Liverpool now sitting in second place in the table, three points behind leaders Arsenal and just one point ahead of Manchester City, who have two games in hand.

When asked about Liverpool’s chances of still clinching the title with only four games remaining, Klopp admitted that Arsenal and Manchester City would need to experience a significant downturn in form. He expressed his remorse to the fans, stating, “I can only apologise for today to the people. We should have done better but we didn’t and that’s why we lost.”

Despite dominating possession, Liverpool struggled to break through Everton’s defense. Klopp acknowledged that his team was “not good enough” and that the match played into Everton’s hands with the abundance of free-kicks. He said, “We let it happen, let it become exactly the game Everton wanted, two goals from set pieces. We created a lot and didn’t score, and then second half, emotions, we are in a rush, not really clear enough. It was free-kick after free-kick. That was part of the story. But we weren’t good enough.”

Liverpool’s next challenge will be against West Ham on Saturday, a match that will be broadcast live on TNT Sports and discovery+. The team will need to regroup and find their momentum once again.

Liverpool’s recent form has been concerning, with just two wins in their last six games across all competitions. While they had opportunities against Everton, particularly in the first half, they struggled to match their opponents’ intensity and physicality at times.

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk expressed his disappointment and called for his teammates to reflect on their performances. He questioned their desire to win the league and emphasized the need for improvement. Van Dijk stated, “We are fighting, there are games after tonight, but play like we did overall in the game like today.. not winning challenges and giving the ref an opportunity to give a free-kick like he did many times, then you have no chance to win a title.”

The Dutch defender stressed the importance of performing better, especially against teams fighting against relegation. He highlighted missed opportunities in the first half and emphasized the need to show more fight. Van Dijk concluded, “We can’t let the season go out like this.”