The Reds skipper was the culprit of a 'mistake' according to the German boss, which led Villa to a remarkable Premier League comeback. Liverpool had been in control at Villa Park, leading 3-1 thanks to an own goal from Emiliano Martinez, a tap-in from Cody Gakpo and a header from Jarrell Quansah, despite Youri Tielemans' first-half equaliser.
However, the game turned on its head in the final five minutes. Van Dijk, under pressure in his own area, made a needless pass to Alexis Mac Allister. Callum Chambers dispossessed him and Jhon Duran fired home from the edge of the box.
Duran then levelled the scores two minutes later with a fortunate deflection off Moussa Diaby's pass, leaving goalkeeper Alisson stranded. Despite making four substitutions in the 75th minute, Klopp insisted the changes were necessary and pointed to Van Dijk's error.
Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: "Before we changed, we gave them too many chances. It was very intense for the boys. They created too much. They were too often in our box and we made the changes.
"Then we made a mistake. We shouldn't have passed the ball there. It happens but in that moment, it opens the door."
Despite the late collapse, the outgoing manager expressed satisfaction with his team's performance, though he acknowledged the challenge they faced after Duran scored. "The character from the boys tonight was outstanding in our situation," Klopp added.
"We wanted to win the game. In the moment, when we gave away the 3-2, that was really tricky. That's it, that's the story of the game."
However, there's a positive twist for Klopp as he avoided a touchline ban by not receiving a yellow card, paving the way for a grand send-off at Anfield on Sunday. His tenure has been marked by significant success, including clinching the Premier League and Champions League titles.
With a final appearance imminent, Liverpool are set to face Wolves, securing a third-place finish and celebrating the conclusion of Klopp's remarkable eight-and-a-half-year reign.
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