Klopp’s wrong – Liverpool are a great team whether they win the big two or not
JURGEN KLOPP says his Liverpool team will not be respected unless they win at least one of the two biggest trophies they are aiming for this season. Certainly, it will be viewed as an opportunity missed, but respect? They’ve definitely got that. His Liverpool team garnered tremendous respect when they lost the Premier League title by a point to Manchester City in 2018-19. Everyone said they would have been worthy champions in just about any other season. They were also respected in defeat by Real Madrid in the 2018 Champions League final. Respected, too, for their dismissal of a brilliant Manchester City team at the quarter-final stage. ‘The world is obsessed with first place,’ said Klopp, but sports people are too. Klopp wants more than just kudos this season, yet there is also room for nuance. Sir Bobby Robson was revered for an Ipswich team that did not quite win the league. Tottenham fans of a certain age will acknowledge David Pleat’s 1986-87 side as one of the best they have seen, even though in attempting to win the treble they ended up with nothing. And the 1982 Brazilians are still revered by some as that country’s greatest ever, despite exiting the World Cup at the second group stage. Liverpool may end up with everything, they may end up with nothing. Either way, this is certainly a great team and we know it.