Klavan on defensive stability, in-form Salah and Sevilla
Ragnar Klavan believes Liverpool’s recent improvement at the back is down to the effort of the whole team rather than the defensive unit alone.
The Estonian made the assertion at a press conference to preview tomorrow's meeting with Sevilla, in which the Reds have the chance to secure qualification for the Champions League knockout stages.
Klavan also discussed that prospect, the recent form of teammate Mohamed Salah and the differences between Spanish and English teams.
Read on for a transcript of the defender's media briefing from Seville...
On recent defensive improvements…
The last few weeks have been good. We conceded one goal in the last four games and it’s a good improvement. It’s about all of the team’s effort – it starts from the top to the bottom. You can see that everyone is together defensively and you can also see during those matches that we remained compact. Our main focus is to defend together, get the ball and then start attacking.
[It's] a little bit of both [tactics and mentality]. It’s not only one thing that changes the game, it’s a little bit more tactically and also it’s the mentality about how you go into it. The defence is still important, it’s how it starts and you can also see those last games there is that kind of mentality from our side.
On Mohamed Salah’s form…
Yes, he is a great player. You don’t see him very often in training because he is so fast! He has been really good [since] he came and especially now because he’s scored important goals for us and he’s been really important for us.
On the possibility of qualification for the last 16…
Tomorrow’s game is going to be really important. Two games to go and these are decisive moments in the group stage and of course we want to go to knockout phase.
On facing a Spanish style of football…
I think every club is different. Spanish teams have always been really technical and [had] technically good players, this goes for tomorrow’s opponent as well – they have a lot of quality players at this level. You have a good group of players who are fighting to go to the next round of the Champions League. [Spain] are one of the best in the world as a national team as well, they like to play with the ball and they have a lot of quality.
On securing a regular starting XI spot…
For me, I really don’t think like this. I came here to help the team and help the club and I’ve been doing my job the last four games and if it continues of course I’m happy to do it. I am really happy but, for me, I just go game-by-game. Tomorrow, if the manager says I’m going on then I’ll go on and do my best and fight for these points here in Spain.