SM
Monday, December 23
Upcoming predictions and previews
LL
Premier League | Gameweek 26
Feb 9, 2019 at 3pm UK
 
BL

3-0

Mane (24'), Wijnaldum (34'), Salah (48')
FT(HT: 2-0)

Klopp not interested in title tittle-tattle

:Headline: Klopp not interested in title tittle-tattle: ID:349738: from db_amp
Manchester City moved ahead of Liverpool on goal difference on Wednesday night.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp insists he is fine with their current situation and does not need any help coping after Manchester City overtook them at the top of the Premier League.

Even the German, who stresses he does not follow media reports about his club, could not escape the growing background noise over what dropping to second place after two months at the summit meant for the Reds.

In reality it means little as they could regain top spot with a win over Bournemouth, 24 hours before City host Chelsea, but Klopp still received a number of messages about the perceived power shift this week.

Klopp has had to field weekly questions about the title race and how they handle the pressure but now it is about how they react.

He has always delivered the same message of indifference to what was being said outside the club and going behind City on goal difference has not affected that.

"It's normal. It was kind of predictable," he added.

"Obviously it is getting exciting now, eh? It was always clear that would happen.

"I don't think anybody thought we would be top of the league, 12 points clear with three games to go at the end of April.

Harry Maguire's goal denied Liverpool three points against Leicester (Peter Byrne/PA)

"If you want to be top of the table and a champion at the end of the season you have to show real passion, real desire, you have to fight.

"The only tool we really have to sort our situation is football, passion, a proper fight, being aggressive in the most legal way. Be hard, put your foot in."

After a nervy 1-1 draw with Leicester last time out at Anfield Klopp urged fans to keep faith and back the team.

"It was always clear there would be games where you really have to keep your nerve, everybody: in the stand and on the pitch," he said.

"The good thing is we all know the job we have to do. I don't have the English saying, but it's like shouting your soul on the pitch, that's how we say it in Germany.

"We have 15-plus games left, that's the decisive third of the season. We have created the basis for this finish, a very good basis."

On Friday Liverpool announced pre-tax profits of £125million (£106m after tax), a world record for a football club, for the year ending May 2018.

Within that accounting period were £190m worth of signings, offset by £137m of sales, but after a further £170m was spent last summer Klopp cautioned against another major spree this year.

"I'm not a massive numbers guy, but Mike Gordon (president of club owners Fenway Sports Group) didn't jump on me this morning and say 'The numbers are fantastic, come on let's go and spend all the money!'" said the manager.

"It was always clear we had to change things for the better. We built a really strong squad but it's a squad built for the future and not only this season.

"That's fine, I hope we don't need too much money in the next years, because if you have the right players in, work with them."

amp_article__349738 : Database Data restored...  : 
last updated article - 2019-02-08 17:16:27:
html db last update - 2019-02-08 17:16:27 :

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.



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