Jurgen Klopp believes Liverpool need Arsenal and Manchester City to suffer a ‘crisis’ after a damaging derby defeat left their title hopes on the brink.
Jarrad Branthwaite and Dominic Calvert-Lewin gave Everton their first home win over their below-par rivals since 2010. The Liverpool manager suffered his first defeat at Goodison Park to remain three points behind Arsenal.
But the Gunners have a superior goal difference while - more importantly - Manchester City are just a point behind with two games in hand.
Klopp said: “You can read the table. We need a crisis at City and Arsenal and need to win football games. We are not safe in the Champions League as well so we should just play better football.”
Klopp admitted his side are in a “rush” in front of goal after they squandered chances to equalise after Branthwaite’s opener and dropped eight points in four games. But he apologised to the club’s fans for suffering just their second derby defeat in 14 years and insists they have to pick themselves up for Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off at West Ham.
Klopp said: “No good to be honest at all, very disappointed and frustrated, it was not good enough.
“It was not the most inspired performance of all time, I really feel for the people. We never lost here and it feels really different. I really apologise for that. We cannot change that but have to recover.
“Probably West Ham is waiting and rubbing their hands and hoping we come there on one leg, but I will try everything to make sure we are more ourselves.”
Everton are now potentially just one win from safety if results go their way after their third victory in four put them eight points clear of the bottom three. This was just their second derby win in 30 games.
Boss Sean Dyche said: “It’s not as satisfying as the last game of last season.
“It’s satisfying when you’ve been heavily questioned but it is a different kind of satisfaction, last season staying up was satisfaction.”