LIVERPOOL -- Jurgen Klopp has defended goalkeeper Simon Mignolet over the set pieces from which Liverpool conceded two goals in a 2-2 draw at home to West Bromwich Albion.
The Liverpool manager watched his team start strongly at Anfield and lead through captain Jordan Henderson, before the Baggies' strength from corners and free-kicks -- one of Liverpool's main defensive weaknesses -- led to goals for Craig Dawson and Jonas Olsson.
Were it not for a Divock Origi strike that deflected in off Dawson in the 95th minute, Klopp might have been counting the cost of that weakness. Instead, he pointed to the difficulty of countering West Brom's aerial threat and said he did not want Mignolet to take the brunt of any criticism.
Klopp said at his postgame news conference: "I said to Simon at half-time: if somebody says it was your fault, you can say it's not true, it's my fault, because I want a keeper who helps. A keeper who comes out and tries everything. Twenty players around him, only one tried and he didn't get the ball.
"I didn't see how it was his responsibility for the disallowed goal because it was not disallowed, it was not a goal, it was offside. And the second goal I will have to see again. It was on the near post, and usually it's not the goalkeeper's responsibility because we have people there and they have to make the header to defend this.
"[West Brom] had I think six players who were 6-feet-4-inches and taller. It's really difficult for us to defend. We tried it, we didn't do well, we have to do better and we will work on it. So there's nothing negative to say about Simon. First goal of course he tried and for me that's important.
"In England it's really difficult for goalkeepers to come out because nobody will protect them. But I want that he does come out. Sometimes you try and you make a fault, but it's not a problem. You go on."
A stormy encounter, which included the substitution of Dejan Lovren on a stretcher with a gashed leg after a challenge by Craig Gardner, ended with Klopp not shaking hands with Baggies manager Tony Pulis.
But afterwards Klopp played down Lovren's injury and maintained there would be no feud with Pulis, saying: "We don't know too much about [Lovren]. It's a cut. We hope it's not too serious but we have to wait for a scan. We have to wait until the next day, if it's swollen or not.
"I spoke to him, he felt not too bad. We saw the situation: anything could happen in this situation, but hopefully there will be more luck than in our last situations like this. But we have to wait.
"[Gardner] played the ball a millisecond before Dejan. It was like the whole game: on the edge. But he played the ball. I'm not sure that the referee saw it, but I could see in the video."
As for the suggestion that he avoided Pulis at full-time after emotions overran on the touchline, Klopp said: "No. I didn't see him after the game. I can't say anything, because I only talk about football. Maybe I can't remember -- I'm not the best, with the biggest talent to remember things like this.
"I want to go to my team. Do with this what you want. We had some words in the game, and sometimes it takes longer than a few seconds to cool down. If you want to make a big story, please. Sometimes with me it is like this.
"Usually I shake hands. I did not today, because it was not a friendly game. Everybody saw this. But I wish him all the best."
Pulis had riled Klopp during the match with his usual energetic presence in the technical area, but said he was more disappointed not to hang on to win than with the closing exchanges off the pitch.
Klopp celebrated Liverpool's last-gasp, fortunate equaliser wildly in front of him, but Pulis said: "He's got to do what he's got to do.
"I'm more disappointed with the way they came back to draw. We were very resilient. The great thing about this league, with all the money and talent, is small teams coming to Anfield, being resilient and getting results. That's why it's the greatest league in the world."
Although disappointed with the lack of a linesman's flag when Olsson had a first-half goal ruled out for offside, Pulis conceded it was the right decision -- and claimed any full-blooded challenges went both ways.
"It's actually [James] Milner's challenge on Gardner and [Martin] Skrtel going over the ball on Salomon [Rondon], so he should have a look at them," he added. "It's his dugout. I've been in the game a long time and I've been animated."