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Jurgen Klopp is hoping a heart-to-heart with his Liverpool players will trigger a response as they look to secure their passage to Wembley.

The Reds boss held an hour-long meeting with the squad at Melwood on Sunday - some 24 hours after their damaging 3-2 defeat to Premier League strugglers Swansea City.

Post-game debriefs are usually held in the dressing room at the training ground but this one was moved to the more formal surroundings of the main meeting room. The manager used video clips on the big screen to highlight the sloppy errors which have cost Liverpool dear in recent weeks.

Klopp insists it’s too easy to simply point an accusing finger at his defenders for the goals which have been conceded and says an improvement is required in all departments as the Reds prepare for Wednesday night’s EFL Cup semi-final second leg with Southampton at Anfield.

Asked why he felt the need to call the meeting, Klopp said: “It was because the goals we have conceded in 2017 have been a little bit of the same story.

“The influence of throw-ins is a little bit too big on the goals we concede.

“It’s not that teams create a lot of chances against us. That’s still a good sign.

“Okay, Manchester United had a few, but I think that’s the nature of the thing. But usually, opponents don’t create a lot and still score.

“A few weeks ago, everybody spoke about the goalkeeper. That has absolutely no influence on the goals we’re conceding at the moment. We can’t say it’s only the centre-halves.

“Very often, the last mistake happens in this region, but that would be too easy. So we spoke about this and a few other things.”

Liverpool, who have only won once in six matches since the turn of the year, must overturn a 1-0 deficit against Saints if they are going to book a trip to Wembley on February 26.

Klopp knows that Claude Puel’s side are likely to sit deep and challenge the Reds to break them down. The manager felt his players got too downhearted after failing to find a way past Swansea’s backline in the opening 45 minutes on Saturday and says a greater show of patience is required.

“It’s about enjoying the role we have,” he added.

“We are Liverpool, a really good football-playing side, and we don’t enjoy the job we have to do.

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“If you are another team at the bottom of the league, then you have to defend 80% to 90% of the time, and 10% you can invest in counter-attacks and sometimes a set-piece, and all that stuff.

“In our job, in 70% to 80% of all games, we are dominant. So we have to enjoy this, even when we don’t break through after five minutes. That’s how it is. That’s the job to do.

“It was a football meeting with a few other parts of the game.”