Michael Owen points finger at Jurgen Klopp’s “strange” decisions despite Liverpool win

Michael Owen has blamed Jurgen Klopp for Liverpool’s slow start against Villarreal on a surprisingly dramatic night in the Champions League.

After winning the first leg 2-0 at Anfield, Tuesday night was supposed to be a stroll in the park but the Reds walked into a boisterous Estadio de la Ceramica that seemed to startle them. But as stunned as the visitors were, the home side were alert.

Boulaye Dia opened the scores for the Yellow Submarine after just three minutes to give Unai Emery the perfect start before former Arsenal star Francis Coquelin headed home just before half-time. It saw the scores level on aggregate ahead of a massive 45 minutes.

But the introduction of Luis Diaz at the break completely changed the game and Liverpooldominated, scoring three goals as Villarreal ran out of steam. Fabinho, Diaz and Sadio Mane netted to make it 5-2 on aggregate.

However, while Klopp has received praise for changing the outcome of the match with one substitution, Liverpool legend Owen was not as impressed and pointed the finger at the German for his “strange” decisions. He said on BT Sport: “The difference between the first and second half for both teams. Liverpool showed their class, they battered Villarreal second half.

“It was strange tactically, I’d love to know what Jurgen Klopp said differently at half time, whether he thought Villarreal would bring an onslaught at the start of the second half, he surely should have. It was such a different second half and more like we expected.”

Liverpool are now in their third Champions League final in five years and will look to make sure they lift the trophy – as they did the last time they reached this stage under Klopp. They will face either Manchester City or Real Madrid, who play on Wednesday night.

If the Spaniards do overturn their 4-3 defeat from the first leg, there will be history that the Reds will relish after losing to them in 2018 on a night where Gareth Bale stole the headlines with a sensational overhead kick and a Loris Karius error.

Liverpool are in the hunt for a quadruple this year, though, which might be their sole motivation as they hunt down City in the Premier League and face Chelsea in the FA Cupfinal. And Owen believes they have the squad and the mentality to go on and complete the set having already won the Carabao Cup earlier this year.

He added: “It just shows you how good Liverpool are. Usually if you make a mistake in football, that’s it. You’re down and out. They’re that good they can have a half like that [first half] and change gear in the second half. They’ve got gears this team, it’s such a good team. Goal scorers, people who can change the game off the bench which we saw today, the full package.”