When Liverpool defeated West Ham United 5-1 in the League Cup, manager Jurgen Klopp expressed his displeasure with the home crowd and asked supporters to return their tickets if they weren’t in “right shape” for Arsenal’s visit the following weekend.
After a 0-0 stalemate with Manchester United on Sunday, Liverpool lost the opportunity to lead the league, but on Wednesday they thrashed West Ham to secure a record 19th trip to the Cup semifinals.
Even with Liverpool’s superiority, Klopp felt that Anfield lacked atmosphere.
“It’s long ago that I said this — but I thought the first half a little bit, when the boys played really exceptional, I was not overly happy … with the atmosphere behind me,” Klopp stated to reporters.
“We made numerous changes. We absolutely dominated West Ham. We squandered opportunities. And really, I would be completely alert if I were in the stand.”
Sunday saw Liverpool partially open their recently renovated Anfield Road Stand, increasing attendance to 57,000, the most for the stadium in 50 years.
With Saturday’s visit from leaders Arsenal, Klopp stated that creating the ideal environment was essential.
“We cannot afford for me to argue with the other coach; we need Anfield to be alert from the start. We’ve needed you from the beginning,” he continued.
“I don’t know if it’s too much football in December, but if you really want, yeah. I apologize, but we also have to play it. Give your ticket to someone else, nevertheless, if you are not in good health.”