Jurgen Klopp is trying not to get carried away by Liverpool being in a full-on Premier League title battle with Manchester City.
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The only thing is, Jurgen Klopp and staying calm don’t go together well.
He let out a fury of celebratory fist pumps at Anfield after Liverpool beat Leeds 6-0 as they have now won six games on the trot and are just three points behind Premier League leaders Man City as they made the most of City losing at home to Tottenham at the weekend.
Liverpool face Man City at the Etihad in early April and many see that game as a straight battle for the Premier League trophy.
Klopp isn’t so sure, and is trying hard not to focus on whether or not his side are in a battle for the title.
Reds boss staying calm, for now...
Asked after the game if Liverpool are excited to be in the title race, this was Klopp’s response.
“I am not excited, it is normal after a night like this people get carried away and that is completely fine but Sunday is looming and we have to be 100 percent ready for this,” Klopp said, as he smiled.
“We have 10 days no with no league game and City is probably playing in that time for sure. It is how it is. We have to win our football games and if we do that we will be around and if we don’t there is no title race. But if we do it, then maybe.”
Cue ‘Klopp coy on title bid’ headlines across the UK.
Focus is key
Liverpool have been here before with Manchester City.
This run-in feels very similar to the end of the 2018-19 season, when City finished on 98 points and Liverpool on 97 as the title race went down to the final day of the Premier League season.
There is an almighty battle coming up at the Etihad and when you look at the run-in for both Liverpool and Manchester City, it is pretty similar.
Man City have to host Man United, so too do Liverpool. Liverpool have to travel to Arsenal and host Tottenham and Everton. Man City have to travel to Wolves, West Ham and Leeds who will all be playing for very big targets late in the season.
This is going to go down to the wire and it seems like Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp know it.
For now, Klopp is staying calm (about six fist pumps to the Kop was enough on Wednesday) and he’s focused solely on winning the League Cup final on Sunday as Liverpool face Chelsea at Wembley.
Then, the attention switches to Premier League (and Champions League) glory. Liverpool have got themselves into a great position and have incredible momentum.