Liverpool must complete a second-leg comeback at Anfield for the 100th* time after a disappointing evening on the south coast.
Klopp brought back many of the players who have enjoyed a good 10 days off, as well as some injury returnees but they fared less well than the kids at the weekend - as they slumped to a 1-0 first leg defeat in the League Cup semi final.
But it is Southampton who may be rueing the result - they should have had their coach booked for the final as Liverpool started well before slipping away over the course of the game.
Loris Karius was a big part of Liverpool not being 3 goals down at half time.
James Milner came back from injury, and Phil Coutinho came on with 30 minutes left ending a period of 7 weeks away from the first team. But the likes of Daniel Sturridge - himself returning to fitness - did little to fill the sizeable Sadio Mane-sized hole in Liverpool's attack.
He was pedestrian up front but he wasn't the only one.
Despite all that, the reds actually started the game quite brightly - they may have only had a decent Firmino effort to show for the opening 20 minutes but they were camped in the Saints half - silencing the home fans.
But then the game changed. A ball was fed through to Nathan Redmond, Klavan couldn't intercept, and he fired home the game's only goal.
Karius was on hand to stop a shot from point blank range just moments later - a moment that could really have turned the screws on a rapidly diminishing Liverpool.
The reds brought on Coutinho (60 mins) and Origi (83 mins) but it did not have the desired impact and Klopp's side never really looked like getting back into this game.
61: Here comes Phil!
⬅ Wijnaldum
[1-0] #SOULIV pic.twitter.com/S7HtcgQF6N
➡ Coutinho— Liverpool FC (@LFC) 11 January 2017
Surely Liverpool can't be as bad in a fortnight's time when they invite Southampton to Anfield to finish this tie off.
Liverpool have started 2017 in poor form and are still awaiting their first win of the year - almost the wrong time to be travelling to Anfield to face a Man United side that have won their last 9 games.
* (May not actually be 100, might be more).
- LFC Player StatsUpdated
