Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has defended his attacking system - by insisting their first thought is always the defence.

Klopp is adamant defending will be foremost in the minds of his players when they step out on Boxing Day at Anfield against rock-bottom Swansea City.

Asked if his team's natural instinct was to attack, the Reds boss said: “No, that's not true. They want to defend first of all, because I know that's the basis for everything.

“The best thing is to defend with 10 offensive players, because when you have the ball then it's much more likely that you will score.

“That will never happen, but we are this kind of mixture. We conceded no counter-attacks on Friday, again. They had no real chances apart from those five minutes.

“We can't ignore that, but apart from that, not really. But on the other hand we created a lot and that's how football should be, then you win the games.

“We didn't here, but we know already that we have to take the hard way. It's our problem. That's why we are where we are."

Klopp added: “We have a defending approach. We probably played a 4-5-1 (against Arsenal) with a responsibility to defend, as long as the players do it then we can line up quite offensively player-wise. There's nobody on the pitch who is not involved with defending.

“They have to do what they have to do. The goals were not because they players weren't defending. The goals came because we let them cross, which is what happens in a football game. We let them shoot, and that also happens in a football game."