KLOPP’S GOT 99 PROBLEMS
Jurgen: No way we will get close to ton this time
JURGEN KLOPP doesn’t believe this season’s title-winners will go close to 100 points.
That’s because teams such as West Ham – Liverpool’s opponents tomorrow – have made it a much tougher top tier.
The Merseysiders will hope to get back to winning ways when they visit the London Stadium after last weekend’s draw with Brighton.
But they will be without Roberto Firmino for more than a month due to a serious hamstring issue.
Boss Klopp feels more points will be dropped by the title-chasing big guns because of rising standards among the also-rans.
The Reds notched 99 points when they won the trophy in 2020 while the year before they collected 97 coming second to Manchester City.
This season will see Liverpool, City and Chelsea go toe to toe for the crown it seems but Klopp doesn’t believe that will mean big points tallies.
He said: “The league is getting stronger and so it is more difficult to get 99 or 97 points. That’s logical.
“I’ve no idea what will be needed so we should not think about that yet but what is for sure, and is the same as always, is that you have to be nearly perfect to win the league.
“There are very positive talks about Chelsea and rightly so – absolutely great team, super coach, all these things – but they are only three points ahead.
“It’s not as though we are now far off. We have played them and we know how good they are. The same with City and the others. Nothing is decided.
“But I have really no idea how many points you will need this year. I couldn’t care less in this moment actually. It will be a lot and so we’d better win a few more games.”
Liverpool could go 26 games unbeaten in all competitions tomorrow if they avoid defeat, overtaking a club record set by the 1982 side.
“I cannot compare these times because even though I watched football at that time as a kid, I had no idea about what football was exactly in that time,” added Klopp.
“But we don’t go for a record at West Ham, we go for three points – which is already difficult enough.”
Firmino picked up the hamstring injury in the midweek win over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.
Klopp said: “Losing Bobby Firmino is a blow.
“We are talking about weeks, I don’t know exactly but more than four – which I would consider a serious injury. Then we have to see. It is Bobby and he is a quick healer.”