Jurgen Klopp says he was still smarting from defeat when he gave a prickly post-match interview to Sky Sports.
The Liverpool manager raised eyebrows as he revealed a rarely-seen prickly side when probed about the 4-0 loss to Manchester City by Geoff Shreeves.
Klopp had bristled when the Sky reporter suggested the newly-crowned Premier League champions were not mentally prepared for the City game.
"I was not in a too good mood after the game. I was not in a really good mood when I went to bed. I was not in a really good mood when I woke up," the German told his pre-Aston Villa press conference on Friday.
"And then I arrived at Melwood and I was in a really good mood, and I asked myself 'Why?', and I know - ah - here we change the things.
"And that's exactly what we do. So the mood is ok.
"It's like it is, if you lose a game, you lose a game and that should feel like it feels.
"I saw a brilliant attitude. I saw boys who were fighting with all their effort." 💪
Listen to Jurgen Klopp's thoughts following Liverpool's heavy defeat to Manchester City 👇 pic.twitter.com/gkgyA3uxRb— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) July 2, 2020
"We never take it easy. We didn't take that easy last night.
"But meanwhile I had a little bit more time to think about the game because the problem with post-match interviews is that you go inside, dunno, have a minute and then you go outside and have all the interviews.
"You still have all the impressions of the game. This game last night we lost in key moments.
"And in these key moments City was better than us."
Klopp again voiced his frustration at the defensive lapse that allowed Joe Gomez to be isolated with Raheem Sterling before conceding the penalty that opened the deadlock.
He also cited a plethora of chances for his own side that went a begging.
"We had more chances than we had when we won 3-1 at home [v Manchester City], but we gave four goals away and then you cannot win against City," Klopp emphasised.
The manager again brushed aside suggestions that his side had taken the foot off the gas having secured their long-awaited Premier League crown.
"The attitude was brilliant! We were really fighting, the desire was there - it was all there," Klopp said.
"We were in four moments not focused enough. And maybe there are some explanations for that - it's the quality of City using these situations, and we have to make sure that we don't have moments like this in the game on Sunday but still two days time to prepare that."
Klopp's warned that they cannot switch off against Villa on Sunday, as they continue their own battle against relegation.
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