Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp was pleased with their second-half for Sunday's 2-2 draw at Manchester City.
Klopp admits they had to improve after a difficult first-half.
He explained: "Not unhappy, but I knew we could improve. It is not that I went in and said, 'How can we do that?' I know how intense it is. The concentration level in these games is incredible, to be honest. I have said now a couple of times, it is like two boxers, two heavyweights, and in the moment you put your arms down you get such a knock in the middle of your face and then you have to get up again, to try to get control again, and that's what happened.
"What we said at half-time - and what we said before the game already - was [about] the way we have to defend because we had to be there [and] more braver in these moments. Hendo did exceptionally well stepping up in these situations.
"When we didn't have that and we couldn't put pressure on the ball then we were too high, but not too high like staying too high, [it was] the timing of their runs was outstanding and that's why it was really tricky. But I liked a lot and that was actually the main message at half-time that when we controlled the game we caused them more problems than ever before in games.
"That's really good; we improved in this department and it is good, good news for us, but of course I would have loved it if we would have done it more often The football situation around the first goal and when we scored the second goal, both were just top awareness, go there, top finish and all these kind of things. Then we had 15 minutes where we were clear, kind of in control but then they got momentum back. You could see both teams wanted for a minute or two [to] take a deep breath and then go again. A massive game."
Klopp admits City's play surprised him.
He also said, "City are allowed to play balls behind the line. When you have the runs they have, I couldn't respect it more. Kevin De Bruyne… it is easy to play the pass, but the timing for their runs was not bad, to be honest. I liked that.
"We could have done it as well, but we were in the playing mood. It's fine, really. How I said, we improved and it's about winning football games and not about showing up, which style you want to push through. Yes, there were moments that were not how they are usually, but I thought it was a good idea."
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