Jurgen Klopp insists Liverpool reaching the Champions League last-16 gives the club a ‘big lift’

Jurgen Klopp believes Liverpool’s Champions League win over Ajax will give the club a significant boost after a troubled start to the season.

The Reds put in a polished display at the Johan Cruyff Arena to triumph 3-0 thanks to goals either side of half-time from Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez as well as a fine Harvey Elliott effort.

The victory ensures Liverpool have reached the last-16 of Europe’s premier club competition with a game to spare.

Jurgen Klopp salutes supporters following Liverpool’s 3-0 victory over Ajax on Wednesday

There had been some concern over Liverpool’s stuttering start to the season that leaves them eighth in the table and 12 points off the summit following a shock defeat at rock bottom side Nottingham Forest.

But Klopp now believes the impressive nature of how the Reds won in Amsterdam will provide a huge boost to the club to try and get their campaign back on track. 

‘You don’t have to talk about it all the time but it’s clear we are through to the knockout stages so I never will take that for granted so it’s a really big one’, he told BT Sport. 

Liverpool controlled much of the game to book a spot in the Champions League last-16

‘And, yeah, really helpful as well for the club important for everybody it’s important and of course it gives a lift but for tonight 100 per cent. We all feel great  and now we have a few days time to prepare for Leeds.’

Klopp admitted that his side made a shaky start against Ajax but that after tactical tweaks they soon settled on Wednesday evening.

‘Nobody should ever take for granted qualifying for the knockout stages,’ Klopp said. 

‘We did it again in a game that started off really tricky and that makes victory sweeter. Ajax are a really good team and we beat them twice. In the first 35 minutes, they were the better team.

Liverpool can now turn their attention fully to the Premier League for the rest of the year

‘We changed and pressed different and had to get used to that; Half time we had a lot of good moments to show and then scored the two goals and controlled the game and now we are really happy about going to the last 16.’

Liverpool face five games between now and the start of the World Cup in November when the season takes a break, starting with the home game against Leeds on Saturday.

They then host Napoli in what is effectively a dead rubber final group game in Europe, while games at Tottenham and a home clash with Southampton are split by a League Cup clash with Derby County.