Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp has taken the blame for Roma’s late fightback in the first-leg of the Champions League semi-finals at Anfield on Tuesday.

Klopp’s men had raced away to a 5-0 lead in the 68th minute with Robert Firmino’s second goal but the Italians mounted a late mini-comeback with two goals in the dying minutes.

Both of Roma’s goals came after Mohamed Salah was replaced by Danny Ings in the 75th minute with Edin Dzeko and Diego Perotti getting on the scoreboard. Klopp has reasoned that Salah’s substitution was a necessity to prevent an injury.

“If anyone wants to say that it was my mistake that we conceded two goals because I changed the striker, I have no problem with that. I cannot only be in one game. We didn’t prepare our passes that well anymore. We shot them behind the line and Mo was running for all of them. It would not have helped us to be honest if he gets any injuries. So that was the reason for that,” Klopp said in the post-match press conference.

Watch the Liverpool boss explain his reasoning for Salah’s substitution in the video below.