Jurgen Klopp felt his Liverpool team delivered in terms of performance and result as they put their title heartbreak aside to beat Tottenham 4-2.
The Reds’ hopes of winning the Premier League were effectively ended by a series of frustrating results over the past few weeks.
But with the pressure off, the Merseysiders were closer to their fluent best as they dealt a blow to Spurs’ top-four prospects at Anfield on Sunday.
Klopp, who now has just one more home game remaining before standing down as manager at the end of the season, said: “I really liked the way the boys played. I liked the individual performances, how we played together. So many good things.
“It was a really good football game, and I think that’s what everybody should expect from us – results as well. We delivered both.”
Liverpool stormed ahead as Mohamed Salah put his recent spat with Klopp behind him to head the opener before Andy Robertson tapped in a second.
Cody Gakpo added to the lead with a fine header and Harvey Elliott curled in a sublime fourth from outside the area.
Yet after Spurs rallied with goals from Richarlison and Son Heung-min, Klopp admitted the closing stages were uncomfortable.
He said: “Did I expect us to be 4-0 up? No. Did I expect us to be at 4-2 and Ali (Alisson Becker) having to make two more worldie saves? No.
“But when you think about it, it’s not unlikely because before the game, for Tottenham, if they win they are fully back in the fight for the Champions League.
“For us it means we are third. We cannot change that any more, probably, in either direction.
“What you saw as well was Tottenham is Tottenham, they are really good and when you let them do that then they’re especially good.”
Spurs’ defeat was their fourth in succession and meant they squandered a chance to cut the gap to fourth-placed Aston Villa, who lost earlier in the day.
Head coach Ange Postecouglou, however, felt his team at least showed signs of improvement.
The Australian said: “Obviously it was a hugely disappointing outcome for us but at least we were more like ourselves today in terms of our football.
“Even in the first half, some of our football, our pressing, was back to where it should be.
“But we lacked a real cutting edge for sure. We just had nothing in that front third, and that allowed Liverpool to get comfortable.
“And when they got forward their front guys were quite lethal in pouncing on our mistakes.
“So yes, 4-0, we’ve got a mountain to climb but, when we play like ourselves, we always finish strong.”
Postecoglou played down an incident as the players left the field at half-time when goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario stepped in to defuse a heated exchange between Cristian Romero and Emerson Royal.
He said: “They care. It hurts them. They’re not going to just be happy with the current situation. They want it to improve.
“So there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that, as long as it’s done in a constructive way.”
