LONDON — With points dropped in a second consecutive game and a title challenge enduring a wobble, Liverpool Manager Jürgen Klopp is keen to transmit serenity.
After all, Liverpool is still top of the English Premier League by 3 points, despite being held by West Ham to a 1-1 draw on Monday after also tying with Leicester in the previous game.
“We lost one game in the whole season,” Klopp pointed out. “So the team is well.”
But Manchester City can topple Liverpool from top spot by beating Everton on Wednesday, albeit only on goal difference and by having played a game more than Liverpool.
But Klopp could tell the audience in the news conference wasn’t quite convinced by the display at the Olympic Stadium or Liverpool’s ability to sustain the challenge to end the team’s 29-year English title drought.
“I have seen your faces,” Klopp said. “You look a bit sorry for us. We are all fine.”
But a Liverpool side devoid of much attacking flair did rely on the referee missing a clear offside — and having no access to video review — to score its only goal in east London.
James Milner was able to receive the ball in an offside position down the right flank from Adam Lallana before crossing to Sadio Mane to score on the turn in the 22nd minute.
The fortuitous lead was gone after less than six minutes when Felipe Anderson sent the ball down the right to Michail Antonio, who struck it past the static goalkeeper, Alisson.
“We scared them,” said Mark Noble, captain of 11th-place West Ham.
Klopp, inevitably, countered the notion: “They didn’t scare us.”
