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Jurgen Klopp has told of how Liverpool need consistency, not compliments, as he warns it will not be easy to eradicate mistakes overnight.

The 3-3 draw at Arsenal on Friday night represented the eighth time Klopp's side have been in front this season but failed finish as victors.

But the disappointment of relinquishing a 2-0 lead was somewhat tempered by Roberto Firmino's equaliser, ensuring the Reds' superb attacking play was rewarded in some part with a point.

While the defensive aspect of Liverpool's season is once more under scrutiny, the attacking output remains breathtaking and now sit second behind Manchester City as Premier League top goalscorers.

With 41 goals, praise has been forthcoming for the league's great entertainers.

(Image: (Photo by John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images))

Klopp admits he sees that tag as a positive – rather than an underlying criticism of his team's backline woes – but also prefers his side to be consistent with it.

And while he recognises how enthralling his team can be going forward, he concedes mistakes mean his side cannot feel wronged having drawn eight of their 19 league games this season.

“I don't need compliments, the boys don't need compliments, what we need is consistency,” Klopp said. “We have consistency performance wise – not always genius but really on the positive side – but unfortunately it still leads to too many draws.

“It's an absolute positive because we didn't give any chances away because we were so offensively orientated, and we concede goals where we're all behind the ball.

(Image: Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

“We take it as a compliment, it's a fact. We are a very good football team, that's how it is.

“But to be a much better football team we have to avoid things like tonight, we have to use our chances more often.

“The deserved result (against Arsenal) would have been 6-3 for us. It was 3-3, that's how it is.

“Scoring three goals at Arsenal, so what should they say now? 'How can you let them run through all the time?' Arsenal are still a fantastic football team, we are not so bad.

“If you would start, there are so many positive things you can say about this team. It's only difficult to do so tonight. I saw the game – my God, how can we play football like this, pass like this, attitude like this, and then we get this.

(Image: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

“It feels not fair, but it is fair, because we made the mistakes.

“We're a team. If the other one cannot help, we are responsible. I am responsible. But the performance was good and if we perform we stay there, or we can climb. If we don't perform, we don't deserve it.

“We are under pressure, our own pressure, mix it up with the quality – it was quality tonight, not enough for result but enough for a good performance.”

The mistakes against Arsenal have added more scrutiny on the defence – both in terms of individuals and the team's overall shape.

(Image: (Photo credit should read ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/Getty Images))

Klopp has been reluctant to criticise his back line despite clamour for the German to publicly berate his side's Achilles' heel.

Joe Gomez, Simon Mignolet and Emre Can could all be considered culpable in the home side's five-minute blitz on Friday night, but Klopp was keen to stress how mistakes will see the younger members of his squad learn in the long-term.

But he also says a quick solution shouldn't be expected.

“It's how we learn from it,” he added. “Sevilla (home), Tottenham, we miss the ball. Unfortunately with things like this you have to learn from it to avoid it completely, and that's what we have to do.

“And a lot of players in this side and squad are still young, young enough to learn, that's what we'll do, 100%.

“But stop it like that? * Clicks* That could be difficult.”

When asked if Virgil van Dijk – who was left out of Southampton's squad for their game against Huddersfield on Saturday – could be a solution, he added: “The players who have never made an individual mistake in their life, it's quite difficult to spot them.

(Image: Photo by Colin Lane)

“Nothing to say about the transfer window actually.”

Liverpool's defensive record is a curious one. Having now conceded 23 goals, they have conceded more than double the tally of Burnley, and along with Arsenal possess the worst record in the top seven.

Yet prior to the Emirates thriller, Liverpool had conceded just two goals in six games – both contentious penalties – and have still conceded just three league goals at Anfield all season.

No surprise, then, that Klopp continues to launch a defence of his own.

“Maybe a language issue, if I say what I say and you ignore all when I say it all,” he adds. “If you find a player who makes one million mistakes then we have to change, obviously, but they will make them.

(Image: Photo credit should read ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/Getty Images))

“We have to defend better as a team 100% but these goals tonight and last time, it wasn't about that.

“Ask any team how often they outplayed us. That's defending. Pass this, pass that, into our box and score. It doesn't happen.

“Set-pieces, we now score more than we concede. We are on the way, this question about defence... we have to keep the team together and improve the team, we have to involve other players, that's the job for the future.”

Yet the prevailing thought remains Liverpool will have to improve that aspect of their game if they are to challenge for the Premier League title in the future.

Their hopes of ending their 28-year wait have already been dashed due to Manchester City's incredible efforts, but Klopp is not ruling out a second-placed finish.

(Image: Photo credit should read IAN KINGTON/AFP/Getty Images))

If they are to make the next step, the Reds boss believes improvements are needed all over the pitch, and not just in defence.

“This year I don't think any team other than Man City and maybe Manchester United are thinking much about how they can win the league,” Klopp said.

“We have to qualify for the Champions League and finish as high as possible. It looks like we could be second, third or fourth this year – a fantastic situation. Not the dream, but a fantastic situation.

“That's what we are working on, for this we need to improve all departments. If we scored six, we could have conceded three and nobody would have cared about it.

“It's just a nice evening for football supporters, take it as a nice present – it could have been nine goals, it was only six goals, and now Arsenal can take it as a present.”