‘CLASH IS NOT TITLE DECIDER’

JURGEN KLOPP insists Sunday’s heavyweight clash against Manchester City means little in terms of the title race.

The Liverpool manager could see his side stretch their lead over the reigning champions to nine points with a win at Anfield.

But he maintained that any suggestion victory will deliver a knockout punch are well wide of the mark.

“It’s a massive one and I’m looking forward to it,” said Klopp. “But, if we win the game at the weekend and don’t win any games after that, there is nothing of real value there.

“If City win the game and no game after that, it doesn’t help them either.

“There is so much to come, so we don’t think about what influence it will have on the rest of the season, because it is not influenced by just one game.”

City haven’t won at Anfield for 16 years, while Liverpool’s only league defeat of last season came at City, who pipped them to the title by just a single point.

Klopp and Pep Guardiola have engaged in early verbal sparring with a row over Sadio Mane, but the Reds boss is now keen to focus on the match and nothing else.

He said: “I could not have more respect for Pep and I think the football is enough. It is not necessary that we make it bigger.”

And Klopp admitted emotions will be heightened at Anfield by the return to the ground of Sean Cox, the Reds fan who suffered severe brain injuries after being attacked by Roma fans before a Champions League fixture in April 2018.

Klopp (above) is keen to meet Cox. “It is great that he wants to be back and I’m sure our supporters will make it special,” he added.

“It has been 18 tough months for him, his family, and his friends and I hope I can see him at some stage.”