Jurgen Klopp has admitted he's 'broken a promise' after comparing Liverpool's 4-1 win over Luton to their memorable victory over Barcelona back in 2019.
The Reds fell behind in the 12th minute when Chiedozie Ogbene opened the scoring for Rob Edwards' side.
But Liverpool came roaring back in the second half, with goals from Virgil van Dijk, Cody Gakpo, Luis Diaz and Harvey Elliot giving them all three points.
It was a stirring comeback at Anfield, with the result moving the club closer to the Premier League title they crave.
Jurgen Klopp was delighted after Liverpool boosted Premier League title hopes with Luton win
PA
Klopp has now compared the result to when his side thrashed Barcelona in the Champions League in 2019.
And the German has admitted he's 'broken a promise' in doing so, having previously vowed to never 'use the game as an example'.
"I will mention this game from now on quite a few times, to be honest," said the 56-year-old.
"I promised my team a few months ago probably I will never mention or use the Barcelona game [in 2019] again as an example – and I used it today again, so I broke my promise.
"Just because before the game it was kind of similar: many players missing, stuff like this.
"If the team that played that night against Barcelona would have stuck to the knowledge of who was missing….
"We went through the goals and I can tell all the goals. It was a very average pass from Joel Matip up front, Jordi Alba wants to put the ball back to his defender and Sadio [Mane] smells the situation.
"Jordan Henderson was our super leader, so many good things in his football, but he is not famous for dribbling in the box; he did that, left-foot shot, Divock Origi scored a goal even [the press officer] would have scored with.
"The next goal, Trent [Alexander-Arnold] loses the ball in their feet, but wins it back with counter-press, puts the ball in the box and Gini Wijnaldum arrives there, only two players in the box [but] it was just the conviction to go for it.
"The next goal, the right winger is on the left side, gets the ball from the midfielder who now plays left-back, crosses the ball and heads the ball in. The fourth goal is a genius moment and a quick set-piece. I don’t think we had much more chances that night, or shots on target.
"This team that time ignored the fact who was missing and I want us to ignore the fact [of] who is missing.
"That’s difficult because the public has got the knowledge of the whole amount of players missing only tonight.
"It’s like, ‘Oh…’ I needed a few minutes to process it when I got all the news but from the moment on when you know how you can deal with it, how you can sort it for this game now, it feels really good.
"That’s what I wanted the boys to show and this is an example tonight, this is now their Barcelona, [it] was against Luton – a difficult situation, plenty of reasons to give up in moments, ‘Yeah, not tonight.’
"And I saw only a super group fighting. If you don’t limit yourself with bad thoughts, you can fly. And that’s what the boys did."
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Liverpool mounted a stirring comeback to beat Luton in their Premier League clash
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At one point, Liverpool fans heckled Elliot for a misplaced pass.
Klopp was enraged by that and turned on his own supporters, clearly unhappy they were targeting one of their own.
And Klopp has backed Elliot to the hilt, insisting he's unlucky to be playing at a time when Liverpool have so many good players in their ranks.
"Top performance. And Harvey is a top player; 100 games for Liverpool FC in not the worst period of the club’s history, where you cannot afford players who [just] play the position, that’s a proper sign," he said.
"But tonight he had not a great first half. There was a pass with Lucho; when I saw he wants to play the pass instead of maybe he can go in a one-on-one situation, there was here a finish a bit late...
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has defended Harvey Elliot after the midfielder angered fans in Luton win
GETTY
"But the reaction in the second half is the main difference, that’s the thing.
"That made this performance the performance, and I’m so happy for him.
"I don’t lose patience in these moments, I know that it’s a challenge for young boys.
"When everything is great, they are super talents. When things don’t go well, you have to show up.
"And that’s what he’s learning more and more. And with 100 games under his belt, we all know he will definitely play another 100, 200, 300 – if you ask him, 500 – for this club."
