BIELSA SWOTS UP ON BAGGIES
JURGEN KLOPP says Liverpool’s season will only be judged a success if they win the Premier League.
Klopp senses extra expectation on Liverpool because they reached last season’s Champions League final and splashed out over £170million on new players.
The Reds boss claims this ignores the progress their rivals have made to make the battle for the title even more intense.
“It feels like this season will only be a success if we become champions,” said Klopp.
“This is a season when our rivals are the champions from last year, the champions from two years ago, a refreshed Arsenal, a more-experienced Tottenham, and Manchester United.
“That’s a really tough job. But we will go for everything.
“All the different expectations on the boys are because we were the Champions League finalists last season.
“We got to the final and we made new signings so automatically we should win the Champions League or the Premier League. That’s how it seems. But the other teams do not sleep. They make their transfers and improve in different ways.”
And Klopp feels Liverpool (warming up at Melwood yesterday, above) haven’t been given the credit they deserve because Manchester City are blowing opponents away. “We win a game and we have to say sorry because we don’t win it the City way,” he said. “I get that, I get that we have room for improvement, but don’t be so negative.” Klopp insists Liverpool, who host Fulham tomorrow, are a better side than they were last season, despite conceding a late equaliser from Alexandre Lacazette (left) at Arsenal and losing to Red Star Belgrade in their last two games.
The Reds have not played with the attacking panache they showed last term, when Mo Salah (top) couldn’t stop scoring, but Klopp said they are stronger elsewhere.
And he feels recent criticism of his side is misplaced, pointing out that they are still unbeaten in the Premier League and have conceded just five goals, with centre-half Virgil van Dijk (above) so commanding.
“Things can happen like on Tuesday,” said the German, referring to the Champions League defeat in Serbia.
“They have happened in the past and they can happen in the future. In general, the LIVERPOOL: FULHAM: H2H: ODDS: REFEREE: shape of the team is good. They have played a lot of really good games.
“I know a lot of people maybe compare a normal Premier League game we win with the best game of last season, probably the one at home to Roma until they scored their two goals. “But you cannot do that. “The spectacular football hasn’t happened yet this season and we lost the last game, but a lot of things are better this time around.
“It’s all good.
“Yes, we can do better, that will always be the case, but we should enjoy our football too because so far it has been pretty successful.” MARCELO BIELSA is backing Leeds to pass the test West Brom’s goal-laden attack will set them today.
The Elland Road boss rates the Baggies forwards as the best in the Championship and they are the league’s top scorers with 33 goals.
Dwight Gayle (above) and Jay Rodriguez both have eight, while loan star Harvey Barnes has five.
Bielsa is confident his Leeds side can snuff them out this evening, but warned: “I think the best offensive players in the Championship play for West Bromwich.
“They might not have the best player in each position. But if we take, as a whole, No.15 [Barnes], No.10 [Matt Phillips], No.19 [Rodriguez] and No.16 [Gayle], they are the best.
“The exam we’re going to pass this Saturday in the defensive segment will strengthen our conclusions.”
Albion’s England midfielder Jake Livermore returned the compliment, saying: “Leeds are coming here to play good football.”
vChampionship: 3pm
NORWICH can take advantage of an earlier kick-off to claim top spot in the Championship with a win today. The high-flying Canaries seek a fifth successive victory against Millwall – which would lift them above leaders Leeds, who take on West Brom in the late match. Norwich boss Daniel Farke (left) has no fresh injuries, with midfielder Todd Cantwell (hamstring) available. The struggling Lions want to bounce back from a 2-0 defeat at Brentford and could hand winger Jed Wallace a start after he returned from a calf injury as a sub against the Bees.