Liverpool vs Arsenal: Jurgen Klopp reckons he would have hit a hatty

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp reckons he’d have hit a hat-trick after defender Virgil van Dijk missed a series of excellent chances against Arsenal.

On another day van Dijk could have been walking away with the match ball as the Dutch star inexplicably kept on being presented with opportunities to hit the back of the net.

The former Southampton man hit the woodwork and wasted several other chances as it took a James Milner drive from just inside the area to open the scoring against the Gunners.

Alexandre Lacazette then capitalized on Alisson Becker’s failure to get the ball after racing out to squeeze home a fine finish from a tight angle.

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And after the game the BBC reported that Klopp would have backed himself to head home three goals – after a customary line taking the gloss away from his own footballing ability.

Speaking to reporters, the former Borussia Dortmund manager confirmed that van Dijk thought he should have scored three – before adding: “I was not a good football player but I was good at heading and today I would have scored three.”

The Liverpool boss played nearly his whole career at Mainz in the German second division, and scored 56 goals in 340 career appearances.

Van Dijk will be frustrated with his inability to put good chances away, even if it’s not his full time job. However, the defender was outstanding at the back again – and if the Netherlands skipper does his main job well it gives the Reds a much greater chance of success.

Maybe it just wasn’t a day where luck was on the side of Klopp’s boys. Sadio Mane had a goal incorrectly ruled out, and small margins matter in big games.

Up next are Champions League games against Red Star Belgrade, in Serbia, before winnable Premier League fixtures versus Fulham and Watford.