Klopp: Keita proved Liverpool right starting him against Manchester United twitter facebook reddit twitter facebook reddit

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is impressed by Naby Keita's recent form for the team and is happy to have started him in the 5-0 win over Manchester United on Sunday.

The Guinea international scored and provided an assist as the Reds handed the Red Devils one of their worst defeats at Old Trafford.

But the African had to be substituted in the 64th minute when Paul Pogba made a clumsy challenge that resulted in a red card. Keita was eventually replaced by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Klopp has further commented on the 26-year-old's mistake that led to Atletico Madrid's goal in Liverpool's 3-2 win away in the Champions League assignment.

"Naby is in a great moment. Naby is an outstanding player and we spoke about it, about the game at Atletico: he played outstandingly well until he made the mistake around the goal of Atletico after the set-piece and that obviously shattered him a little bit, and that should not happen obviously, that is clear," the German told the club's official portal.

"But in such an atmosphere, against such an opponent, all of a sudden when you're thinking about different things then it can happen. But it was clear we would start him again [against Manchester United] because he is in really good shape and yeah, he proved us right."

The tactician has further commented on the influence of Roberto Firmino despite all the credit going to the in-form Mohamed Salah.

"He played, again, outstandingly well. You are right, [Salah] gets a lot of attention and rightly so, but Firmino, for people with football knowledge - I'm pretty sure when he finishes playing people will write books about the way he interpreted the false-nine position," Klopp continued.

"I don't say he invented it or we invented it, but with the way he plays it, from time to time it looks like [that]! There are different things to do on the pitch - some of them are defensive, and what he did in that department tonight was absolutely insane, and offensively he is obviously a nice link-up player and he finishes off from time to time as well.

"So yeah, [Firmino] knows how much we appreciate what he is doing and maybe that is a bit more important."

After Sunday's win, Liverpool are placed second on the Premier League table with 21 points, one less than leaders Chelsea.