Sunday Sun

Klopp not yet comfortabl­e with where Liverpool are

-

LIVERPOOL manager Jurgen Klopp wants his Premier League champions to be even more uncomforta­ble to play against next season.

Prior to March’s lockdown the Reds had taken 82 points – more than second-placed Manchester City will reach if they win today – from 29 matches with just one defeat and one draw to virtually guarantee a first title in 30 years.

Wednesday’s 5-3 victory over Chelsea made it three seasons unbeaten at home in the league.

However, as the Reds head into their final match of the campaign at Newcastle with an 18-point gap at the top, Klopp is expecting more from his players.

He said: “We will not change, we try to improve. Is is possible to improve it for a longer period? I would say yes.

“We make a cut when the season is finished, enjoy it, be happy and then mid-august we start training again and from that moment on we will try it again with all we have and nothing will hold us back.

“It is a nice story the boys have written over the years but it is not finished yet – we decide when it is finished.

“I want to see us fighting for whatever the next trophy is, fighting on the pitch and enjoying the hard work and as long as we do that we have a good chance.

“First thing, as always, is to be a team no one wants to play against.

“I think we are like this but we can be more uncomforta­ble.”

Today will bring to a close 14 remarkable months which have seen Liverpool win the Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, Club World Cup and Premier League.

Klopp admits last summer’s victory in Madrid over Tottenham, coming 12 months after losing the Champions League final to Real Madrid, was the turning point.

He added: “That does not make it easier but it gives you the proof it is possible.

“As we all know, I am a specialist in coming second so that needs mental strength to try it again and try it again and if you open the box of Pandora then that helps massively.

“I could see that when we won the Champions League last year it made all the other things happen, plus the season we played before – 97 points and then we won the Champions League – was really a special year.

“When you are that close you have to invest more and then get over the line and that is exactly what happened.”

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United Kingdom