Jurgen Klopp’s tenure as Liverpool manager yesterday began with a hard-fought 0-0 draw at Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League.
Greeted by German flags in the away end bearing legends like “Liverpool Uber Alles,” Klopp handed a league debut to 20-year-old striker Divock Origi, who hit the bar in the early stages at White Hart Lane.
However, he was also indebted to goalkeeper Simon Mignolet for producing three important saves, which meant that although Liverpool have now won only once inside 90 minutes in their last 10 games, their manager was spared defeat on his first outing.
Klopp will have drawn encouragement from his team’s combativeness, particularly against a team who had crushed Manchester City 4-1 in their previous home game, and will now turn his thoughts to his first home game against Rubin Kazan in the Europa League on Thursday.
Mauricio Pochettino’s Spurs are now unbeaten in seven games — the longest run in the division — having ended a run of five straight league defeats against Liverpool.
Klopp made just two changes to the last team selected by his sacked predecessor, Brendan Rodgers, as Adam Lallana and Origi replaced knee ligament injury victim Danny Ings and Daniel Sturridge, who was absent with a knock.
Clad in a black tracksuit, Klopp was quickly out on the touchline to offer encouragement to his new charges, who lined up in a 4-3-2-1 formation with Lallana and Philippe Coutinho supporting lone striker Origi.
Aggressive pressing was the cornerstone of Klopp’s approach at Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool made an energetic start that saw Origi head against the crossbar from one of a succession of early corners.
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