Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has admitted that he was "not surprised" by his side's 1-0 defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge this afternoon.
Olivier Giroud's first-half header proved to be enough to hand Chelsea all three points in a result which could take the top-four race down to the final day, with Liverpool failing to respond in their first match since booking their place in the Champions League final.
Klopp was "proud" of his side's performance, but said that the nature of Chelsea's winning goal was the only moment which angered him.
"I didn't think that Chelsea looked much fresher than we did. It's an intense period. If you want to be successful then the decisions are made in the last part of the season. Of course everything is influenced by games during the week, that's normal, but I'm really proud of the boys because they again invested everything," Klopp told reporters at his post-match press conference.
"There is one moment I am really disappointed, not happy, angry whatever you want, and that's the goal. Clearly you should not concede a goal like this, which is clearly the plan - cut back, soft cross, Giroud is there. It was clear we have to avoid this situation, and it feels like we only have to avoid it one more time in the game, and then we have a draw, which would be completely different. But the rest I am absolutely fine. I know what the boys invested.
"We had to play around them, we had to play spaces and get between the lines. We had opportunities to shoot, we had opportunities to cross. Of course we have played better games this season, but in our situation against Chelsea, who are a world-class team, that is quite a challenge to do it much better than we did today. Result-wise we were a bit unlucky, but when you come to Chelsea, you can't expect to win or get a point even though we have done that a few times.
"I'm not shocked or surprised at what happened today, and now I'm happy that the intense part of the season for us... the games will still be intense of course, but between the games we now have enough time to prepare them properly, and that will help us massively of course. Now we have a final next Sunday, and that's how life is."
If Chelsea beat Huddersfield Town on Wednesday evening then Liverpool would be left needing a win at home to Brighton & Hove Albion on the final day of the season to guarantee a top-four spot.
Barney Corkhill
