Klopp hails 'best Liverpool performance' in Leeds defeat

Leeds - Liverpool’s 6-1 mauling of Leeds United at Elland Road on Monday was their best performance of the season according to manager Juergen Klopp, who has not ruled out a push for a Champions League place in the final weeks of the campaign.

The victory was Liverpool’s first in six games in all competitions since they beat Manchester United 7-0 in early March, as they inflicted a record home Premier League defeat on hapless Leeds who are battling against relegation.

"I think it's the best game we've played this season from all different perspectives," Klopp told Sky Sports. "We forced a lot of errors, sensational goals and counter-pressing, the best game for long time.

"There were a couple of tough moments, we conceded an unnecessary goal, but these things happen. Apart from that we were in control of the game."

Liverpool have also beaten Bournemouth 9-0 in the Premier League and Rangers 7-1 in the Champions League this season, but Klopp said he will always judge his players on performance rather than the number of goals they score.

"I'm not bothered about scoring six, it's about the performance. This was a winning performance," he said.

"We can be super offensive orientated if we react in the right moment. I can't explain why our counter-pressing didn't work (earlier this season) but tonight it clicked.

"I'm not sure how many goals we scored after we won the ball back - that makes all the difference."

Liverpool are nine points behind Newcastle United who are in the fourth Champions League qualification place and Klopp said all they can do is keep winning in their eight remaining matches and hope the teams above them slip up. 

Meanwhile, Leeds United manager Javi Gracia said they must find more composure in defence in their battle to avoid relegation.

Leeds now have the worst defence in the top flight with 60 goals conceded in 31 games and are only two points above the relegation zone ahead of a trip to Fulham on Saturday.

"It's hard to accept the game today, the result as well," Spaniard Gracia, who took over in February, told the BBC. "We lost composure during the game. Maybe the first goal opened the game and maybe came from a handball (by Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold) but after that there is nothing to say, we have to improve for the next game."

Gracia was surprised at his side’s woeful defending in the last few weeks. "It's something we need to work on and try to improve," he said. "It's something we didn't do in the previous games and now we are in the most important part of the season. We have to be more solid and defend better."