‘It’s about the ride, not the destination’

JURGEN KLOPP believes life would be awful if everyone just worried about ending up as the best.

The Liverpool manager says he is more of a fan of enjoying the ride along the way than being bothered by the pressure of delivering trophies.

Klopp insists he loves the challenge as he bids to win his first trophy with the Reds this season. Ahead of tomorrow’s big Premier League clash at Anfield, Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho said “trophies matter” and claimed Klopp will be judged on what he wins at Liverpool.

But for the German, whose side lost the Champions League final last season, the journey is just as important as the destination.

Klopp said: “Do I have to win it? People might remember that but what I have to do is make the best of the things the club is offering me – that is what I believe in. If people say the Champions League campaign last season was not a success because we didn’t win the final, then I cannot change that. Is it the successful finish? No, but the ride was brilliant. I enjoyed it a lot.

“Going to the final was fantastic but in life – in all departments of life, including your job – if only the best counts and effort doesn’t count then life is s***. You can do whatever you want but if I’m not as smart as Einstein or whatever I can’t try a little bit because I will never be him. “I love the challenge. Make the best of it. That is how I learn life; I learned it a little bit in football.

“In the end other people have to judge that.”

Klopp is under no illusions that in his third full season at the club those outside the walls of Anfield and their Melwood training base believe the pressure is on to deliver trophies.

He said: there and “The pressure is has always been there because we know that we have to deliver. We are not somebody, we are Liverpool.

“The pressure is from outside, people saying if I don’t win silverware then I have to leave.

“In the moment you find someone who can do the job better, you have to take him, that is how it is. As long as there is not someone better, you have to trust the guy in the P 16 16 16 16 16 16 15 16 16 16 16 16 15 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 Liverpool Man City Tottenham Chelsea Arsenal Man Utd Everton Bournemouth Leicester Wolves West Ham Brighton Watford Cardiff Newcastle C Palace Burnley Huddersfield Southampton Fulham W 13 13 12 10 10 7 6 7 6 6 6 6 6 4 3 3 3 2 1 2 D L 3 0 2 1 0 4 4 2 4 2 5 4 5 4 2 7 4 6 4 6 3 7 3 7 2 7 2 10 4 9 3 10 3 10 4 10 6 9 3 11 F 34 45 30 33 35 28 21 25 21 17 23 19 18 15 13 13 15 10 13 16 chair 100 per cent. That is it. It doesn’t work the other way around. We feel we are really the right combination 100 per cent – with the club, with all the people.”

Liverpool will be looking for their first league victory against United under Klopp tomorrow at Anfield as they aim to stay ahead of Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in the title race.

But they have failed to score in their past three home games against the 20-time champions – with two of those against Mourinho teams. Mourinho has been happy to bring his side across the M62 and park the bus in order to take a point, and they have had just two shots on target in their past two visits. It has led to criticism of Mourinho, considering the attacking talent he has at his disposal, that he seems to take a safety-first approach to get a result.

It is a stark contrast to the exciting and positive football played by Klopp’s side. But the Liverpool boss A Pts 6 42 9 41 16 36 13 34 20 34 26 26 17 23 26 23 20 22 19 22 25 21 22 21 21 20 30 14 22 13 23 12 32 12 27 10 30 9 40 9