SM
Man City vs. Everton: 10 hrs 58 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews
LL
Premier League | Gameweek 19
Dec 26, 2018 at 3pm UK
 
NL

4-0

Lovren (11'), Salah (47' pen.), Shaqiri (79'), Fabinho (85')
FT(HT: 1-0)

Klopp thinks six-point advantage over Tottenham 'means nothing' at halfway point

:Headline: Klopp thinks six-point advantage over Tottenham 'means nothing' at halfway point: ID:345198: from db_amp
Liverpool have been installed as the new title favourites.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp insists a six-point lead at the top of the Preier League means nothing at the halfway stage of the season.

The Reds have been installed as the new title favourites after they comfortably beat Newcastle 4-0 and Manchester City lost for the second successive match, going down 2-1 at Leicester.

Liverpool's next two matches are at home to Arsenal and away at City, where Klopp's side will arrive still top of the table irrespective of their result against the Gunners.

Klopp, however, is refusing to look too far ahead as City began December top, two points clear with a goal difference 14 better than Liverpool, but head into their final match of the year third, seven behind Klopp's side having seen their goal difference advantage reduced to zero.

"That means nothing. We play Arsenal and City," he said of their six-point lead over Tottenham, who have taken over second place from Pep Guardiola's side.

"I had no idea how any other teams were playing, I didn't even know where they were playing.

"Afterwards I got the results and I can say it didn't do a lot for me. It is just information.

Dejan Lovren set Liverpool on their way to a comfortable victory at Anfield (Peter Byrne/PA)

"It's good that we have six points than other teams, or seven, but that is pretty much all."

Liverpool are only the fourth team to remain unbeaten at the halfway stage of a Premier League season, having won 16 of their 19 games.

They have already had their best start to a season in their history and the clean sheet against Newcastle was their 12th of the season – the same number they recorded when they last won the title in 1989-90.

"What we wanted to do all the time was create a basis for the rest of the season. Now the first part of the season is over," added Klopp, whose side won the game through goals from Dejan Lovren, Mohamed Salah, Xherdan Shaqiri and Fabinho.

"We want to create our own history. It is the first Liverpool team in the Premier League unbeaten (at halfway). We have conceded seven goals.

"All good numbers but there are 19 games to go. So we play Arsenal, we play City, we play Tottenham. We play all of them again. There is a long way to go, we all know that.

"We have to win our games we have to be focused, we have to be really in the mood and have tunnel vision and see where it leads us to."

Newcastle's former Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has no doubt his old club have the quality to go all the way.

Former Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez sees no reason why his former club cannot go on to win the title (Peter Byrne/PA)

The Spaniard said: "I think they showed they are good enough to win the title, yes.

"They have a very good team but a very good squad. When you want to win a league title you need to be consistent and they can do it."

Benitez felt his side acquitted themselves well at Anfield but the game got away from them.

He said: "It is difficult to explain when you lose a game in the way we lost.

"We started well. In the first minutes we had our chance. We didn't take our chance, we made a mistake and gave them hope and belief.

"We were in the game against a very good team, we had some moments when we were pushing, but we went in at half-time 1-0.

"Second half, a soft (Salah) penalty changed everything and now I have to explain why we conceded four goals."

Benitez admitted he had "no idea" whether he would be able to strengthen his squad in January.

Asked if any deals were lined up, he said: "No." Asked if that worried him, he added: "Yes."

amp_article__345198 : Database Data restored...  : 
last updated article - 2018-12-31 18:20:13:
html db last update - 2018-12-31 18:20:13 :

ex - 7200 : read : read cache amp html

Click here for more stories about Jurgen Klopp

Click here for more stories about Liverpool

Share this article now:
Recommended Next on SM
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool16123137162139
2Chelsea17105237191835
3Arsenal1796234161833
4Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest179442319431
5Bournemouth178452721628
6Aston Villa178452626028
7Manchester CityMan City178362925427
8Newcastle UnitedNewcastle177552721626
9Fulham176742422225
10Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton176742726125
11Tottenham HotspurSpurs1772839251423
12Brentford177283232023
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd176472122-122
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham175572230-820
15Everton163761421-716
16Crystal Palace173771826-816
17Leicester CityLeicester173592137-1614
18Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1733112740-1312
19Ipswich TownIpswich172691632-1612
20Southampton1713131136-256
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.



. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .