Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has admitted that he "did not expect" the Reds to come from behind to beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-1 when they were a goal down at half time in Saturday's early Premier League kickoff.
Beset by defensive absentees and late arrivals back from South America, Liverpool conceded with just seven minutes gone at Molineux, as Pedro Neto set up Hwang Hee-chan to break the deadlock.
The Reds could and probably should have been losing by more before the half-time whistle sounded, as Gary O'Neil's side let several opportunities to double their lead pass them by.
Such profligacy would prove costly against a resurgent Liverpool, who levelled through Cody Gakpo in the 55th minute before Andy Robertson slotted home from Mohamed Salah's second assist of the day late on.
As the game entered its dying embers, a Hugo Bueno own goal made sure of another maximum for Liverpool, as the left-back deflected a Harvey Elliott strike into his own net.
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However, Klopp conceded that he initially could not envisage a two-goal success on the back of a dismal first half, and he blamed 'rustiness' on his side's slow start in the West Midlands.
"I thought in the first half a couple of times, what the... We were not ready first half obviously, but Wolves did really well on top of that," Klopp told reporters in his post-game press conference.
"You could see it in these situations when they threw three players into the box and we were not there, the last step not there. I worked with these boys now, with some of them a few weeks, seven, eight or nine weeks, with some longer – I know when they can they are there. Today they couldn't in a lot of moments.
"You saw pretty much the same players first half looked a bit rusty and second half the boys were... it looked much easier. Wolves played a super first half, we a really bad one.
"Second half we were really good, controlled the game and kept going and scored one and then not directly the second so we needed a while. But we stayed calm, I liked that a lot, it was no rush, we didn't kick balls somewhere, we really tried to play around, break lines.
"So, 3-1 is a result I didn't expect after 20 minutes and maybe not in half-time, but during the second half we deserved the result, and so that's fine."
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Already missing the suspended Virgil van Dijk and injured Trent Alexander-Arnold, Klopp did not risk Ibrahima Konate from the first whistle following his recent thigh injury, as Jarell Quansah made his first Premier League start.
The 20-year-old made several crucial interventions at the back before limping off in the closing stages, and Klopp believes that he coped "really well" on enemy territory.
"He did well, he did really well. It was really good, a nice, wonderful experience for him. He came on always in very decisive moments, he didn't come on to close games or whatever, we had to do something there," Klopp said of Quansah.
"And today he was good, I have to say. In such a disorganised team like we were in the first half, being the one who looks kind of alright is a statement absolutely. So, really happy for him. He is obviously pretty happy in the moment as well. A good boy."
With 13 points from their opening five matches, Liverpool have retained their third-placed standing in the Premier League table and are next in action on Thursday, travelling to LASK Linz in their opening Europa League group-stage match.
Ben Knapton
