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Jurgen Klopp Praises Second-Half Substitutes as Liverpool Secure Fairy Tale Win Over Newcastle

​Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has praised the impact of second-half substitutes Xherdan Shaqiri and Divock Origi to help secure ​a crucial 3-2 win over Newcastle.

With the game finely poised at 2-2, Klopp brought on Shaqiri and Origi in an effort to win the game, and his changes had the desired effect, as the Swiss international's free-kick was headed home by the Belgian striker on 86 minutes to decide the contest at St James' Park.

It was a game ​Liverpool had to win to return to the summit of the ​Premier League, as the German described the circumstances that surrounded the late winner as something similar to a 'fairy tale'.

Describing the importance of the winner post-match to ​Sky Sports, he said: "So crucial. It's just brilliant, it's a like fairy tale.


"You can say whatever you want about me - I don't play Divock enough or Shaqiri enough - but then I make this decision and it's great. I love it. It was really a big moment.

"It was a wonderful free-kick from Shaq and a sensational header from Divock won us the game now we've qualified for the league final, which is brilliant.

"I didn't feel like it was over. I accepted long ago that we do everything, absolutely everything. The boys throw whatever they have on the pitch. Whether we are champions or not it's destiny, we cannot do more."

The win sees Liverpool leapfrog ​Manchester City back to the top of the Premier League, meaning the destination of this season's title will be decided on the final day - regardless of City's result against Leicester.

Klopp's side took the lead three times against Newcastle, as the hosts refused to give an inch in their final home game of the season, which is what makes the win more satisfying in the eyes of the German.

He added: "It's brilliant, so deserved, it was a tough game against a physically stronger team than us. The way Newcastle played, it was just difficult to deal with in general. It's really difficult to defend all these situations and we cannot defend them, it kept them in the game.

"We had to fight, I couldn't be more proud. You play the whole season so intense, we are not the best team in the world and we have to work hard. There are no easy games and now at the end of the season we have three games in six days."


Source : 90min