Jurgen Klopp and Andrew Robertson blames player as Liverpool give up 3-1 lead in Aston Villa draw

Jurgen Klopp hit out after his side blew a 3-1 lead against Aston Villa.

Jurgen Klopp criticized the error made by Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk, which allowed Aston Villa to stage a dramatic comeback after Liverpool had been leading 3-1.

Despite an own goal by Emiliano Martinez and a leveled score by Youri Tielemans, Liverpool seemed in control with goals from Cody Gakpo and Jarrell Quansah. However, with five minutes remaining, Van Dijk’s mistake in passing to Alexis Mac Allister under pressure led to a turnover, resulting in Jhon Duran scoring an equalizer and then a third goal for Aston Villa.

Klopp’s decision to make four substitutions at the 75th minute mark was followed by the late chaos, but he defended the changes as necessary and highlighted Van Dijk’s error as a contributing factor to the team’s struggles.

“It was very intense for the boys. They created too much. They were too often in our box and we made the changes. Then we made a mistake. We shouldn’t have passed the ball there [to Mac Allister]. It happens but in that moment, it opens the door.”

Despite the late collapse, the 56-year-old expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance but acknowledged their difficulties after Dhuran scored to narrow the gap. “The character shown by the boys tonight was exceptional given our circumstances,” he remarked.

“We wanted to win the game. In the moment, when we gave away the 3-2, that was really tricky. That’s it, that’s the story of the game.”

Klopp had one reason to depart Villa Park feeling relieved. He started the evening just one yellow card away from a touchline suspension, which would have meant watching his final Anfield match from the stands on Sunday.

Fortunately, he avoided the booking, ensuring he’ll receive a warm farewell when Liverpool face Wolves. With third place already secured, Klopp’s last game after eight-and-a-half years at the helm promises to be an emotionally charged occasion.