John Giles joined Off the Ball on Thursday to reflect on Liverpool’s pulsating Champions League quarter-final win over Manchester City.
The former Leeds star feels Jurgen Klopp’s side may come to regret not putting the tie fully to bed despite holding a 3-0 advantage for next week’s second-leg.
“The result was very good and obviously they would have settled for that before the match,” Giles told Off The Ball.
“I was a little surprised he [Klopp] didn’t get at Manchester City more than he did because that’s been his reputation, and it was the thing I admired most about him more than anything.
“When he has a team down – he really has them down. He really gets at them and keeps at them, and at them. He didn’t do that last night.
“It will take a week or so to prove whether he was right or wrong. If he gets a result next week at Manchester City then I will say he was right in doing that [settling for a 3-0 win].
“But it’s not nailed on. Part of me last night felt he could have nailed it on. If he kept going at Manchester City the way he did in the first half, he had them by the neck.
“I’m more than a bit surprised that he didn’t take advantage of that. And it could come back to haunt them next week.
“It can be a strange game and I wouldn’t rule [Manchester] City out from next week. Liverpool will have to be favourites, of course, but Liverpool could be saying we should have taken advantage in the second half.”
Manchester City’s team bus was targeted by a minority of Liverpool fans prior to kick-off, leading to suggestions Pep Guardiola’s side were left shaken by events.
But Giles brushed off claims the Premier League champions elect would have allowed the incident to affect their game.
“I would be very surprised if it did,” Giles added.
“They’re professional players, I’ve been involved in a couple of things like that, and it’s not very pleasant, but you certainly get over it in time for the match.
“Everything affects everybody differently. But they’re professional footballers; they’re used to all sorts of things.
“It’s a type of life where you have your ups and downs and as a professional you’re brought up to handle anything that happens before a match.
“I was involved in one or two things like that in Naples one time and it didn’t affect the players that I played with on the night.”
Written by James Hopper
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