Jurgen Klopp joked "thank god a game has two halves" after Liverpool improved on a below-par first-half showing to overcome Everton 2-0 in Sunday's Merseyside derby.
The Reds failed to register a shot on target in the first half of a home Premier League game for just the second time this season against a resolute Everton side.
Liverpool continued to struggle early in the second period, but Andy Robertson broke the Toffees' resolve with 62 minutes played from the home side's first attempt on target.
Substitute Divock Origi added a late second with his sixth goal against Everton in all competitions, twice as many as he has netted against any other side as a Liverpool player.
A 12th win in 13 top-flight matches moves Liverpool back to within a point of leaders Manchester City, but Klopp conceded his side were far from their best against Everton.
"Thank God the game has two halves," he told BBC Sport. "We didn't play particularly well in the first half. They made it uncomfortable but we didn't get in behind the last line.
"We didn't have enough movement and weren't quick enough. We passed the ball into the area where they had nine players.
"In the second half we were much more direct and caused them much more problems. The goals were wonderful."
Klopp added: "The amount of wins we've had in recent months is insane. You have to work. The boys did that again. I'm really happy.
"We stayed really cool and calm. The changes helped, fresh players, different formation. It made it difficult for the opposition. We won 2-0, it's absolutely fine."
Liverpool's 82.75 per cent possession is the second most a side has managed in a Premier League game since at least 2003-04, when such records were first recorded, behind Man City's 82.95 against Swansea City in 2017-18.
Everton's 32 passes in the first half is the fewest by a team in the division since November 2006, meanwhile, but Klopp insisted he was not surprised by the visitors' tactics.
"We expected it," he said. "We expected them to do it, but we didn't react well. It's difficult.
"Each ball Jordan Pickford has he takes five minutes so we couldn't gain rhythm which you need to break down a low block."
Everton may have registered only one shot on target, but they had a strong penalty appeal rejected at 0-0 when Joel Matip put his arm across Anthony Gordon inside the box.
Gordon, who had earlier been cautioned for diving, argued after the match that a spot-kick should have been awarded, though Klopp had a different view of the incident.
"It was clearly no penalty," the German said. "He's really good but he's lucky not to get a second yellow. The first was not a penalty and the second wasn't."
Following Burnley's win against Wolves earlier on Sunday, Everton find themselves in the relegation zone at this stage of the season for the first time since April 1999.
"Everton did what they had to do," Klopp added. "We deserved the three points. With a performance like this I think they can get the points they need.
"If anybody thinks we fly through these games, I can apologise, it won't happen. If we can create atmospheres like today it's difficult to deal with us for 95 minutes."
PSG boss Luis Enrique expects entertainment in Champions League semi-final with Dortmund
Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund served up plenty of entertainment in the Champions League quarter-finals, and their last-eight meeting promises more of the same, says Luis Enrique.
Both sides came back from first-leg defeats to reach the semi-finals, PSG winning 4-1 in Barcelona after a 3-2 loss in the French capital and Dortmund downing Atletico Madrid 4-2 to recover from their loss in Spain.
"I think that is the way it went in the quarter-finals based on the playing style of Dortmund and the way that we play," PSG head coach Luis Enrique told a press conference.
"I think it could be a wonderful spectacle, not just for the two fan bases, but for everybody who loves football. I think there will be goals, given the quality and the ability to reach the opposition goal on both teams."
PSG had never before overturned a first-leg defeat at home in the Champions League, and while the Spaniard believes it can help his players, he also knows that history counts for little at this stage.
"I do hope it liberates us because this is something that we haven't done before after losing the first leg. I also have experience that shows how important it is to be competitive tomorrow," Luis Enrique said.
"What we achieved previously doesn't matter. History is great, but our goal is to win tomorrow. We don't want to leave it to chance and think about the second leg at the Parc des Princes."
History may weigh on the minds of PSG, too, given they have lost all four games of their previous two-legged Champions League semi-final ties – against Milan in 1994-95 and Manchester City in 2020-21.
The Parisians did win their one-legged last-four meeting with RB Leipzig in the disrupted 2019-20 season, though, while Dortmund have reached the final on two of their three semi-final appearances.
Dortmund and PSG have already met in this season's competition as well, with the German side topping their group, but PSG beat them at Parc des Princes and managed a 1-1 draw in the away meeting.
Luis Enrique thinks his team, who secured their third consecutive Ligue 1 title on Sunday, have improved since then – and suggested there is even more to come.
"We have improved in all areas. We are better defensively, better going forward," the former Barcelona boss continued.
"We can keep improving for sure. And that is one of the characteristics of our way of managing the club and the team, by trying to be demanding, not thinking that everything is done."
PSG appear favourites to go through given Dortmund have only won one of their six meetings with the French side in all competitions (D3 L2).
Dortmund overcame PSG 2-1 in the first leg of the 2019-20 Champions League round of 16 before being eliminated 3-2 on aggregate, and Luis Enrique expects another difficult task on Wednesday.
"That shows that the press doesn't know much about football," he joked ahead of the first meeting at Signal Iduna Park.
"I have said that for a long time. What is great about being here is enjoying a really special game at a unique stadium in Europe and having the chance to make our fans really happy by reaching the final."
A tough challenge awaits for PSG, however, considering Dortmund are unbeaten in their last 10 Champions League home games (W6 D4), their longest-ever such run in the competition.
Former Spain boss Del Bosque to oversee RFEF
Former Spain boss Vicente del Bosque will oversee a new committee supervising the RFEF.
Spain, which is due to be one of six host countries for the 2030 World Cup, announced the creation of a special committee until the federation holds elections to replace Luis Rubiales.
That is despite Pedro Rocha having this week been appointed as Rubiales' replacement, though he himself is under investigation amid a corruption probe.
Rubiales was dismissed following his unsolicited kiss on Jenni Hermoso during the Women's World Cup trophy ceremony in 2023.
The federation's former president was then arrested in early April as part of a corruption investigation.
Del Bosque led Spain to three consecutive trophies, winning the European Championships in 2008 and 2012, while also leading the team to their first World Cup success in 2010.
Prior to his time with the national team, he also won two Champions Leagues and two LaLiga titles while in charge of Real Madrid, where he made over 400 appearances as a player.
Preston 0-3 Leicester City: Foxes seal Championship title in style
Leicester City cruised to a 3-0 win over Preston in the Championship on Monday to clinch the title with a game to spare.
Jamie Vardy was the star for the Foxes as he scored in both halves before Kasey McAteer made sure of the points with an unmarked header.
Abdul Fatawu had the chance to cap an already memorable night for the travelling fans but hit the post with his curler.
Preston slumped to a fourth consecutive defeat, while Leicester go into their final game against Blackburn Rovers with the knowledge that they will lift the trophy after the final whistle.
Data Debrief
Jamie Vardy has scored 18 goals this season (two in this game), more than any other Leicester player in the competition. He has also netted in his last three games, scoring four goals in total.
It was a dominant performance from the Foxes, who had 19 shots with 11 of those on target. At the other end, Preston only managed to test Jakub Stolarczyk once from their five attempts.
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