Ajax and Liverpool are known as two of the best patronizers of champagne football but both failed to live up to the billing as Nicolas Tagliafico’s first half own goal was enough to hand the Premier League champions a vital win in Amsterdam.
Liverpool have now gone unbeaten in their last 13 matches against Dutch opponents in European competitions; winning eight and drawing five.
Klopp blamed the pitch for his side’s poor showing and insists the game was “not a sunshine football,” but admitted that the victory was what matters to him.
"It was good enough to win the game. That's what you need. I think both teams could play better football. At moments it was wild. The pitch was deep and muddy. Three days ago it looked completely different and in training yesterday it looked different,” the former Borussia Dortmund head coach said.
"But we did not take our chances which was a shame. Ajax had a big one which hit the post. When you're 1-0 up, these things can happen. But overall I'm happy with the game. It was not sunshine football but we wanted three points and we got it.
Next up for Klopp and Liverpool is a home Premier League game against Chris Wilder’s Sheffield United on Saturday.
