United will ‘go big’ for a title shot
KLOPP WARNS HIS KOP ‘MACHINE’ THAT TEN HAG AND CONTE ARE COMING FOR THEM NEXT SEASON
JURGEN KLOPP has predicted Manchester United will “go big” this summer to fast-track their return to football’s top table.
But the Kop boss insists Liverpool won’t take their foot off the gas next season – with Premier League rivals Chelsea and Tottenham desperate to close the gulf in class created by Manchester City and his own Anfield stars.
Klopp believes that gap won’t last forever – and he and his squad will have to work harder than before to make “a proper machine of it” next season if they want to stay ahead of the chasing pack.
Liverpool go into their final game of the season against Wolves aiming for three points – and hoping Aston Villa can deny City victory at the Etihad.
That unlikely scenario would guarantee a spectacular title win – their second in three seasons – and keep their Quadruple bid alive as they
head to Paris for the Champions League Final with Real Madrid this Saturday.
But whatever plays out in the title battle with Pep Guardiola’s side today, Klopp knows, if they take their eye off the ball next season, Thomas Tuchel and Antonio Conte (below, right) will be ready to make them pay.
Liverpool enter the final day of the domestic campaign with an 18-point lead over third place Chelsea, 21 points ahead of Spurs and an astonishing 31 points in front of United.
But, asked if those rivals are close enough to challenge Liverpool and City for the title next season, Klopp was adamant in his response.
“Yes, I see it when we played Chelsea in the FA Cup Final,” he said. “I was over the moon about the way we played in the first half an hour at Wembley.
“It was the best 30 minutes we have ever played against Chelsea, because they are so very difficult.
“So we all learn, we will see how the squads will look next year – all these kinds of things. But you do know that Erik ten Hag (below, left) is arriving at Manchester United?
“And they won’t wait five years now or whatever – they will go big.
“And you have Tottenham, obviously.
“Antonio Conte is very, very ambitious and they already have a good team. If they are to play the two competitions – Premier League and in Europe – they maybe they need a few more players.
“So they will bring them in and then that’s it.
“But it’s not about that. Nobody has to worry that the gap there is now will stay forever.
“It was the hardest work to get here, so, if we ease off the gas a little bit, then the 15-16 point gap at the moment is immediately down to three points – or down to nothing.
“So it is all about us not them. We have to make sure we can be as good as possible – and on the rest we don’t have a real influence.
“I say again we have a talented group of players, and we have will have a talented group next year.
“But we have to make a proper, proper machine of it – and then we will go and we will see what happens.”
Although the odds are against them today with City favourites
to defeat Villa,
Klopp believes his experiences at Mainz – where he won promotion to the Bundesliga in 2004, the year after losing out on goal difference – stand him in good stead.
“At Mainz, life gave me another knock because we didn’t get promoted by a point, and then by a goal, so it was real test. And then we got promoted,” he recalled.
“So things work out if you stay on track. If you stay in the right mood – and that’s what we will be against Wolves.
“That’s the only way I can do it. I enjoy the journey and everyone who wants to do that as well is invited. And, if not, then I cannot change that.”