Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp praised his team's "very important victory" following their win against ​Stoke City on Saturday afternoon. The hard fought win boosted the Reds' chances of a top four finish in their quest to play Champions League football next season.


The Potters took the lead just before half-time, but a second-half fightback with goals from substitutes Roberto Firmino and Philippe Coutinho ensured a crucial away win for Klopp's side.

​Speaking after the game, Klopp said: "It was very, very important for us. For different reasons, it was really difficult. Stoke is a difficult place to play, to come here it’s really difficult to take the points.


"In our situation, we knew before it is much more difficult but we still thought it was possible. The first half was actually not as good as we thought it could be. They were two completely different halves, obviously."


The Reds started the game with a back three in defence, but a tactical switch at half-time led to a much improved performance after the break. 


He added: "We had to change the system; we couldn’t train it really. I don’t like it too much but the situation forced it.

"We couldn’t train it and that’s what everybody could see. But defending was not a problem. I thought defending could have been more difficult, but that was not a problem. We didn’t defend like we usually do – we couldn’t play high pressure, so we had to stay a little bit deeper, but they didn’t create a lot of chances."


The German manager was also full of praise for his goalkeeper Simon Mignolet who denied Stoke with two fantastic saves to keep this side ahead: "We had to fight. And we needed Simon Mignolet with two outstanding saves – the second one was one of the best I’ve ever seen.


"Save of the Day, Month, Year. It was outstanding, well deserved for him because he has got a lot of criticism in his Liverpool career."