LIVERPOOL -- Jurgen Klopp believes Liverpool won "ugly" for the first time this season after Sunday's come-from-behind victory over Burnley.
Liverpool beat the Premier League's worst travellers 2-1 at Anfield thanks to Emre Can's second-half winner. Ashley Barnes had given Burnley the lead in the seventh minute before Georginio Wijnaldum levelled on the stroke of half-time.
Speaking at a news conference after the game, Klopp said: "Obviously we all have to get used to it a little bit because it's the first 'ugly' game we've won. Usually when we were not at our best we've lost and in a few parts of the game we weren't at our best actually. If you're not at your best it's a close game and that's how it was.
"We were not dominant enough to avoid Burnley's game, they did what they want to do. First half, Burnley were better because we all played their game, if you want. The ball was always in the air, fighting for second balls, they were obviously better around second balls.
"It doesn't feel good and you are 1-0 down but I thought already at the end of the first half we had our moments and then we scored the goal. Nice goal, cross, we were there and got the easy goal if you want. We knew we had to do better, of course. It was about formation, it was about orientation, that's what we spoke about at half-time.
"Second half, I thought we did much better because there was not really a chance [for Burnley] from open play, only set pieces. They were dangerous enough, all in the six-yard box and Si [Mignolet] did an outstanding job for us. Obviously it's difficult for each goalkeeper but he did really well in these situations and then Emre with a wonderful strike, a fantastic goal.
"We defended passionately, that's how it should be [and] our organisation was better. There were a few counterattacking moments, when we played football in a few moments obviously it felt better, and in the end we won the game and it felt well deserved."
Meanwhile, Klopp paid tribute to matchwinner Can, who scored his first goal of 2017.
The Liverpool manager insisted the Germany international has finally recovered from his lingering calf injury.
"Emre is a boy with an outstanding attitude. He always wants," Klopp said.
"He had a few problems with the calf in the last few months, which we couldn't sort quickly enough -- not because of the medical department. Sometimes he had it, sometimes not. That's really difficult, so we had a lot of specialists around to try to find it out but the situation was like this, not 'OK, go on holiday for four weeks.' It looks like we found a solution now and he doesn't have these problems anymore.
"I really like to speak positive about a player. The second half was really good, but the first half around the goal -- that's the challenge you need to have before the cross. But things like this happen in football and it doesn't make you a worse person or player. We have to react and he reacted well.
"The second half was already really good, especially in this position with a lot of high balls and how important it is to have this player around. Nice goal and, after a long period with calf problems, [it was] well deserved."
