Jürgen Klopp insisted that he was pleased with the performance on offer from his side as Liverpool ended Leicester City's 10-match unbeaten run with a 1-0 win on Saturday afternoon.
The Reds controlled throughout against the table-topping Foxes, extending their unbeaten Boxing Day record at Anfield thanks to substitute Christian Benteke's strike at the Kop end just past the hour mark.
Klopp's side squandered opportunities aplenty to make sure of the points, allowing Leicester to apply pressure in the latter stages - but they defended well to earn their first Barclays Premier League win in four games in their penultimate game of the calendar year.
German takes encouragement from improved performance
Speaking after the game, he insisted that the win was "deserved" and praised his side for making a game which they should have made "in these circumstances with the wind and the pressing of the opponent" and "all these things."
He admitted that Liverpool "played too complicated" in the loss to Watford a week ago and played "how they wanted us to play" but said this time around against the Foxes, who had come into the game without a league loss in three months, and "did much better."
Klopp revealed that he was "really pleased" with the Reds' performance in the first half-an-hour, but said they "had to change" when Divock Origi went off injured. He said it was "really difficult" for Benteke to come on in his place because he "didn't warm up until then and had to start immediately" and said the game was "a little bit more open" as a result.
He said that at half-time, he told his players to "stay concentrated" because they would "get chances" due to how the players "looked good" after a "not too intensive" first period that would allow them to "do more" after the interval.
The Reds boss admitted the nervy finale was "difficult" and "close" after Benteke's goal had given the home side the advantage, insisting "all the set-plays" and "especially the throw-ins" from Leicester and Christian Fuchs were "not easy to defend."
But he hailed the determination of his side and said they "did it with a lot of patience" to protect their lead, which he added was "good" and meant that they "deserved the three points" in the end.
Klopp hopeful Origi's injury nothing too serious
Benteke's introduction was forced by the withdrawal of Origi, whose afternoon was brought to an abrupt end with a hamstring problem after he had threatened with his pace and movement.
On the injury, Klopp said that he hopes "it's not too serious" but acknowledged that they will have to wait and see for scan results, despite adding the medical team "spoke about a little cramp."
Having only been in the country for just under three months, Klopp admitted he "didn't know the word" before he came to England but declared that "hamstring" has become the "worst word of the year" for him - saying it's "always hamstring, hamstring, hamstring" and bemoaned the "intensity of the game and the fixtures" as the reason to blame for the frequent hamstring problems Liverpool have had under his tenure.
He repeated that they "will see" and that he hopes "it's not too serious" - adding that he hopes to see Origi feature in one of their next games, with the next game "in three days and six days the next, nine days the next."
Boss pleased with Benteke's "perfect" goal in difficult situation
Benteke's intervention, stabbing Roberto Firmino's left-sided cross into the bottom corner from the middle of the penalty area, was the No.9's sixth goal of the campaign.
Though he was otherwise underwhelming, wasted a gilt-edged opportunity to seal the win with a late counter-attack after goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel had been caught upfield, Klopp is hoping it can serve as a confidence booster for the Belgian after admitting he had a heart-to-heart with the 25-year-old in mid-week.
The manager, assessing Benteke's impact, said he did "really well" in the "last week in training" but said that he opted to start Origi over him because "of the things" that he showed "in the first half-an-hour."
He said that Liverpool "needed his [Origi's] speed" and said that whilst Benteke is a "fast player", his compatriot is a "little bit more a player for these runs" and "these ways" because they "needed to get behind the last line of the opponent."
After Benteke came on before the break, he said it was "not easy in the first 10 minutes" but said it was "much better" in the second-half, insisting he "fought really intensively and worked hard for the team after he "made his goal."
Klopp added that he doesn't know "too many strikers who always get situations like this" and said that he "did perfectly" to score - but also referred to the fact he "had another chance close to the final whistle" which he did not take, saying "we have to see" whether he will now get a consistent run of games.
Klopp says Reds cannot afford to dwell despite morale-boosting victory
With the result, and the performance, providing a reason to be optimistic going into their final game of the calendar year - a trip to lowly Sunderland on Wednesday night, Klopp says they need to turn their attentions to that game quickly rather than dwelling on this win.
He said that "all of the games" in the league are "really, really important" and took pride from the fact that they beat "the leaders of the table" which is "not too easy", saying he was "really pleased" with what the Reds did.
However, he insisted that they still "have to work on" some things and said they must focus on "recovering really quickly" to "go on" and attempt to string a good run of form together.
