Jurgen Klopp has admitted to being unhappy with Liverpool's performance in their 1-0 EFL Cup semi-final defeat to Southampton, but insists that it will be a different story in the second leg.
The Reds trail their opponents 1-0 at the halfway stage in the tie after conceding to a Nathan Redmond strike 20 minutes in at St Mary's Stadium on Wednesday evening.
Klopp confesses that Southampton were deserved winners on the day and perhaps could have won by more - with Redmond ruing his side's inability to put the tie out of reach - though the German has now warned the Saints to prepare for a far tougher test in a fortnight's time.
"After the goal we conceded the reaction was not good," he told Sky Sports News. "We lost timing, we were not compact enough, everything changed and that reaction was not good. Maybe it is easy to explain - we made wrong decisions - but it is a cup game and especially in an away cup game you concede a goal and it is tough.
"They had the biggest chances because we were not compact enough in situations and Loris Karius had to save our life - a deserved win for Southampton but it is only half time. In this moment I am not too happy with the performance after 1-0. We should have been more clear in our passing.
"It is difficult, we could have done better. Things like this happen. We were in a good shape when we started, but the reaction was not good. Why exactly I will have to look again. The second leg will be a completely different game. Nobody should think it is already decided."
Liverpool, winners of the League Cup on eight previous occasions, face Manchester United and Swansea City prior to the return meeting with Southampton on January 25.
Daniel Lewis
