Klopp wants Liverpool's 'little flower' to bloom
LONDON (Reuters) - Juergen Klopp seems like he is slowly planting the seeds for a rejuvenated Liverpool to blossom in the future but the German coach acknowledges that it is a fragile process.
The five-times European champions have not won a major trophy since they lifted the 2012 League Cup but a Europa League last-16 victory over bitter rivals Manchester United on Thursday
showed the team's self-belief is growing under Klopp.
"Confidence is a little flower," he told a news conference ahead of Sunday's Premier League match at seventh-placed Southampton.
"If you step on it, it is away in a second. It is a lot more difficult to let it grow. We have to see," added Klopp who was wearing a Beatles tee-shirt as he addressed the media.
"It's not only about confidence, it's about feeling more and more trust in our way of playing. I don’t know how much we ran yesterday but especially in the first game it was really intense."
Klopp, who took over in October after Liverpool sacked Brendan Rodgers, wants his players to reproduce the high-tempo performance they showed over two legs against United on a more consistent basis.
"We have to carry on playing like this," said the former Borussia Dortmund coach. "We are a possession team but we are a team with an intense style ... we need a higher rhythm.
"The players have quality, everyone can see this, it is important we feel better in this style of play."
Liverpool, who are eighth in the league, are unsure if left back Alberto Moreno will return against Southampton after the Spaniard missed the United match with a hamstring injury.
"Alberto is a player who ignores pain," said Klopp. "He will have another scan today then it will be much more clear.
"If there is nothing maybe we try on Sunday."
Within minutes of Klopp's news conference finishing, the draw for next month's quarter-finals of the Europa League pitted Liverpool against his former club Dortmund.
(Writing by Tony Jimenez,; Editing by Pritha Sarkar)