Jurgen Klopp said windy conditions on Merseyside made it difficult for Liverpool against Everton on Sunday afternoon.
Liverpool were held to a goalless draw at the home of their local rivals that now sees Klopp’s side sit one point behind Manchester City in the Premier League table.
Mohamed Salah and Fabinho wasted good chances at Goodison Park as the Reds lost control of the title race with nine matches remaining.
– Liverpool ratings: Salah 4/10 as Reds slip up against rivals
“It’s OK. A very difficult game for different reasons, a wild opponent,” Klopp told Sky Sports postmatch. “I know people don’t like it when I say that, but the wind came from all directions and you saw that in a lot situations that it didn’t help any football play, especially when the ball was in the air and that was a lot.
“We had — in a game that was really difficult to control because of the two things I said — I think three or four really big chances. I’m not sure if they count as shots on target — Mo it was really big, Fabinho really big.
“It’s a 0-0 in a derby, we kept our unbeaten run against Everton. But of course it’s not exactly what we wanted, but it’s something [that] is easy to accept because, how I said, difficult game.”
Salah, Liverpool’s top goalscorer this season, has not scored in his last four matches and squandered opportunities in either half against Everton.
Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford denied the Egypt international in a one-on-one situation after 28 minutes before a poor touch allowed for Michael Keane to make a last-ditch, recovery challenge in the second half.
“When you see the situation, he’s doing everything right [until] the last moment,” Klopp said. “We had our moments. There’s no reason for taking it or not taking it.
“There’s all different things. It’s really the pitch sometimes. The boys are able to score situations like this, but it’s an inch on the boot.
“On another day, he scores two or three and today not. That’s all that happened. Absolutely stay cool and play football, fight for everything and everything will be fine in the end. That’s how it is.
“There’s nothing to be concerned about. We have to take the situation like it is. Four days ago we spoke about the free-flowing Liverpool side. It’s all good.
“We need to constantly show stability — that’s what we did again — and fight for the result. Nothing happened really, apart from that we have one point more and that’s still positive.”
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