No mind games from Emery
LIVERPOOL. — Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has brushed off the suggestion that Arsenal head coach Unai Emery is playing “mind games” ahead of tonight’s English Premiership football showdown at Anfield.
The Reds are six points clear at the top of the table going into the weekend and are yet to lose in the Premier League this season. Emery said this week that he thought Liverpool were capable of emulating Arsenal’s famous “Invincibles” side of 2003-04. Asked if, in his view, Emery was trying to pile the pressure on Liverpool ahead of tonight’s fixture, Klopp said: “That is not how I know Unai Emery.
“I don’t think they will have the white flag and say ‘no chance’. It will be a really tough game, because they are good.
“That is all I am interested in and all the rest is a nice little game, where people respond to your questions and you make stories of the answers.
“We are focused on ourselves and that is all.” Liverpool drew 1-1 at Arsenal earlier in the season in an entertaining contest, but Klopp has called for an improved performance this weekend. Asked what Liverpool needed to do to ensure a good result, the manager said: “Play much better than we did at Arsenal, for example - that would be a good idea. “Because, especially defending wise, we weren’t as good as we can be, or we were after that. I think it was a period where we didn’t do too well. “They are strong, good with the ball and very lively. Their counter-attacks are crazy quick - (Pierre-Emerick) Aubameyang and (Alexandre) Lacazette are an outstanding striker couple up front. It will be difficult.”
Two defeats in a row for reigning champions Manchester City have left Liverpool in a strong position, as they seek a first top-flight crown since 1990.
However, Klopp is adamant that it is too early for his team to start thinking about an historic title success.
He said: “We didn’t think about the distance to other teams before that [the City defeats].
If you are six points ahead with one game to go, it is a big moment.
“I am not sure if we spoke about targets at the start of the season but it is clear that a team like Liverpool, with the size of the club, the quality of the team, you should go for Champions League qualification - and that was our target, one hundred per cent.
“We did it twice in a row, we wanted to do it a third time. “We wanted to improve as a team, be more consistent, be more stable - and we are still on that way.
“The only thing that is different to last year, is that our situation is better, but we have not even qualified for the Champions League yet. “So that means we need to play football and try to get results. Nothing has changed. “There are so many games to go, there is just no time to think about it (the title race).”