Jurgen Klopp will not be concerned by cup final goals dig aimed at Liverpool

Liverpool had quite the time of it in 2021/22. They played all 63 potential fixtures, won more matches than they have in a season before (which is no mean feat when you’re England’s most successful club) and lifted two trophies.

They won 49 games, including penalty shootouts, and plenty of teams won’t have even played that many matches this season, never mind won that number. Yet as their campaign ended in disappointing fashion, rival fans and certain pundits found the idea of a celebratory parade strange.

If not sniping at that, the naysayers were quick to point out that the Reds failed to score in their three cup finals this season, as if winning on penalties is somehow not a legitimate way in which to seal a trophy. When you support a team who haven’t won a cup in decades, it’s hardly surprising you find it confusing.

People shouldn’t be too surprised by the relative lack of goals either. WhoScored recently noted on social media that only one of the last 11 major finals across international tournaments or in the big five leagues saw either side score more than once, with eight of the matches going to extra-time.

Finals are meant to be hard to win and with so much at stake it’s hardly surprising that they are not high scoring occasions. Failing to score in them also does not undermine the sheer volume of goals Liverpool amassed on their way to Wembley and Paris.

Ignore the finals and the Reds bagged 53 cup goals in just 22 matches this season. Disregard the games against lower league opposition for the sake of argument, and even with the goalless tussles with Chelsea and Real Madrid included Liverpool still scored 43 goals in 21 cup fixtures.

Nonetheless, even though Jurgen Klopp’s squad only failed to score six