Jurgen Klopp believes Liverpool's “big heart” is helping his side maintain their best-ever start to a Premier League season.

Saturday's dramatic 1-1 draw at title rivals Chelsea means the Reds have taken 19 points from their opening seven games for the first time in 28 years.

Daniel Sturridge came off the bench to equalise in the 89 minute with Liverpool having dominated for large spells of the second half having fallen behind to Eden Hazard's first-half strike.

It came just three days after Liverpool were narrowly beaten by Chelsea in the Carabao Cup at Anfield.

And Klopp has intimated his players deserve more credit for their performances over both games, not least during the “desperate” finale at Stamford Bridge.

Read what Klopp had to say about Mohamed Salah's form here

“I'm only really happy because we got a result,” said the Reds boss. “A point here is absolutely okay. I will still be fine with the performance, but losing 1-0 would have been really harsh, to be honest.

“How we lost in the last game, everybody spoke about how brilliant the other team were. They are really good and I respect that a lot, but we had more chances. We worked so hard. We had clear chances. And again, at Chelsea (we had more).

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“When you are 1-0 down against the same team you have lost to a few days ago, I really loved the response.

“In a very positive way it was desperate – to go, to go, to go, to go and try and try and try, without giving a lot away.

“One of my favourite situations was, I think it was Eden, because I couldn't see him because Virgil and Joe and Trent came and cleared the situation.

"That's football with big heart. I love that. We deserved the point and got it.”

Watch Klopp's post match press conference

Jurgen Klopp's verdict on Liverpool's 1-1 draw at Chelsea

Despite the valuable draw, Liverpool dropped to second in the Premier League table on goal difference behind champions Manchester City, who visit Anfield next Sunday.

And Klopp added: “I don't care what people think in general, but for us to do what we did in the last two games, at the very least we deserved one point. In the last game, we maybe (deserved to) draw and get a penalty shootout.

“But because we let Eden (Hazard) go, they scored, and we let him go and he scored again, but apart from that we defended outstandingly.

“I really liked how the boys took the plan, but the plan is only for denying what they (Chelsea) usually do. Let me say it like this, Jorginho has had better games.”

While Liverpool fly to Italy on Tuesday for their Champions League group clash against Napoli the following evening, Chelsea are at home on Thursday to Hungarian side MOL Vidi FC – formerly known as Videoton – in the Europa League.

Klopp, though, doesn't believe the differing European commitments will have an impact in the title race unless Chelsea reach the latter stages of their competition.

“It's all about the travel,” he said. “The 90 minutes are the 90 minutes. If you're in the group stage, maybe for Chelsea it's a bit easier. I don't know. I don't know their opponent.

“I know it's the Europa League, and I'm pretty sure with that Chelsea team you are ambitious. They want to win it, that's clear. They are among the favourites.

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“The group stage isn't a problem but it's what's coming next (that is). Playing the knockout in February and March, that is kind of a killer because we have the most intense time in England as well, the FA Cup starts.

“Maybe Chelsea are still in the Carabao Cup then. That can break your neck, but not now. There's no advantage (for us).”