Reds won’t crack: Klopp

LONDON. — Jurgen Klopp insists Liverpool will not crack from the pressure applied by Manchester City in the English Premier League football title race, but admitted his side were fortunate to get away with scoring an offside goal against West Ham United on Monday night.

Liverpool’s lead at the top of the table is now at three points following the 1-1 draw at the London Stadium.

Reigning champions City can move into first place if they beat Everton at Goodison Park tonight, although they will have played one more game than Jurgen Klopp’s side.

“Yes, I’m confident about that (we won’t crack),” Klopp told a news conference after the West Ham game.

“I think since five, six, seven, eight weeks we talk about a two-horse race now and Tottenham came from behind. They had a very difficult situation and deal with it brilliantly. I have to say, all credit to Pochettino and his team how they did it, winning games late with a lot of injury problems as well. For me, they are 100 percent in the race. So that’s the situation.

“If you want to be top of the table at the end of the season then you have to deal with much tougher situations than we had today. That’s the truth. Of course, you need players fit and available, that helps a bit.

“We have to fight. It’s not about pressure, it’s about enjoying the situation you are in. We have 62 points, lost one game in the full season so far, which is very positive.

“But I see your faces already, you feel a bit sorry for us — you don’t have to, we are fine, everything is good.

“Tonight was just a tough game. But if you have a day like that with the things that happened yesterday and then you get a point at West Ham, for me that’s absolutely fine.”

Liverpool dropped points for the second match running as Sadio Mane’s 22nd-minute opener was cancelled out by Michail Antonio. — ESPN.