Liverpool still have problems to solve ahead of Champions League meeting with Spartak Moscow

Jürgen Klopp’s press conference on Tuesday will not be dominated by questions about Liverpool’s defence in the same way that his meetings with journalists have over the last few weeks. That, quite simply, is because his side beat Leicester City, in what could yet prove to be one of the more important wins of Klopp’s tenure.

Saturday’s three points at the King Power Stadium ended a winless run of four games that was so intensely scrutinised, Klopp was left feeling like Liverpool were the worst team in the league. Victory means the post-match assessments are a little kinder, the glare of criticism a little softer.

His team very nearly did not win that game though and, despite Klopp being able to blame some questionable refereeing decisions for Leicester’s fight-back, that fact should not be forgotten or excused. After all, Jamie Vardy should have levelled the score just five minutes after Liverpool had taken a two-goal lead.

It was almost a collapse worse than those seen at Watford and against Sevilla already this season and the issues that have been endlessly pored over in recent weeks were still there, peeking out from underneath a satisfying three points.

Of course, nobody expected those problems to be solved overnight but now an important win is out of the way, it is time for more composed victory. Judging by his post-match comments, Klopp seemed to agree. “After a few games with no results or not the right results, you have to fight back,” he said. “That’s what we did, now we can build on this.”

His side now travel to Moscow, where a win is needed in order to get Liverpool’s return to European football properly up and running. In Spartak Moscow, they face the reigning Russian champions and a team that lost only once at home last season.

​Massimo Carrera’s side have, however, shown signs that their powers are dwindling. Spartak are mid-table after 11 games of their Russian Premier League title defence, 13 points behind pace-setters Zenit St Petersburg, and they have already conceded as many goals at home as they did in the entirety of the last campaign.

On balance, this is not only a game that Liverpool should win but one they should win comfortably, without the amateur dramatics seen at the King Power. Contrary to popular belief, Klopp teams can do this.

A spell of victories-to-nil back in April and May, some coming away to the likes of West Bromwich Albion and West Ham, were business-like performances that ultimately proved vital in securing a top-four finish and Champions League qualification.

Those displays were not the harum-scarum stuff of Saturday and suggested that within this squad of players is a team who can 'get the job done', so to speak. Manic end-to-end 3-2s may be a lot of fun, but Liverpool should now win and win well.