Jurgen Klopp praised his squad for a ‘really pleasing’ first half of the Premier League season after Liverpool went top by defeating Burnley 2-0 on Tuesday.

The Boxing Day win at Turf Moor, secured by an early Darwin Nunez goal and Diogo Jota’s late strike on his return from injury, moved the Reds to the summit ahead of Arsenal’s fixture on Thursday.

“I really liked the game we played, but we should have scored more and that’s clear. Then the game stays open and Burnley have massive chances to score [at] the second post – maybe even the first they had, if I am right: the finish when he mishits the ball,” said Klopp.

“I am pretty sure that was the first chance [for them], but in the end we deserved to win the game and it was two perfect goalscorers, I would say, with Darwin and then Diogo.”

On being top of the league, Klopp said: “So, 42 points, that’s really pleasing, to be honest. That’s really cool because the first part of the season [is] done and it was absolutely alright what we did. Not perfect but it was alright.

“And if I’m right, we cannot be more than a point away from the top of the table, if Arsenal win. That’s obviously in punching distance, let me say it like that.”