Jürgen Klopp laments Liverpool collapse and concedes title

Jürgen Klopp bemoaned how Liverpool capitulated to a 3-1 defeat at Leicester after falling behind to a soft goal and he admitted his club’s title defence was over.

Related: Leicester City 3-1 Liverpool: Premier League – as it happened

The manager was unhappy at Leicester’s equaliser, claiming there was an offside in the penalty area before James Maddison’s free-kick went all the way through and in, although VAR disagreed, but he was more alarmed at how his team fell apart after Jamie Vardy had made it 2-1.

The goal came after a collision between the Liverpool goalkeeper, Alisson, and the debutant centre-half, Ozan Kabak. Harvey Barnes would make it 3-1 on 85 minutes, with Leicester’s goals coming inside a seven-minute burst, and it meant Liverpool had lost three Premier League games in a row for the first time since November 2014.

Klopp said: “We dominated Leicester, we scored a great goal but then conceded a strange one, which is offside. The 2-1 is a mistake but it had too big an impact. There was still time to go. We have to show a different reaction. When we conceded the second, in that manner, it was a knock and I didn’t like the reaction after that.

“We all know Ozan is a really good player but he’s not used to all the things that we do and when you play with Alisson, you know he is offensive-minded and comes out of his goal. It was a misunderstanding. It can happen.

“The first goal gave Leicester a mood-lift. They get a present and then we make another present and then the third one, which we gave away too easily. That’s what I don’t like.”

Klopp was asked whether he had conceded the title. “Yes,” he said. “I cannot believe, but yes. I don’t think we can close the gap.”