Jurgen Klopp has told Liverpool fans to stop worrying about past collapses on the title run-in…and start dreaming instead.
The Reds boss declared yesterday that the title end game has already begun in the Premier League race, given how tight it is at the top, and how important it is not to drop points.
Yet he also believes his side have performed way beyond a level anyone could have expected at the start of the season, AND also shown huge promise for the future.
Which is why he believes now the title countdown has started, his club’s supporters can stop fearing the worst after past failures in this position – in 2014 and 2009 – and instead start enjoying being in such an exciting race.
“The only thing I want is that, as a club, we enjoy this situation because I think it’s better than we could have expected last summer, not because of the quality but because of the strength of the league and the financial power of some of the opponents,” Klopp explained.
“Until now we have done a really good job but I know it is very decisive in a moment like this, especially for Liverpool supporters, that you don’t start thinking ‘Yes we are close but we were also close in 2008 or whenever, and in the end it slipped through our fingers’.
“That is the wrong way to think. We are where we want to be – it is so positive that it allows us to dream, close enough to do a lot of good things and for nobody to think we should be champion or something.”
Liverpool entertain Swansea in a game Klopp knows his side must win to maintain any pressure on runaway leaders Chelsea, and that is why he believes the title run in has already started.
Normally, the German says he tells his players the last lap in the race to be champions doesn’t begin until the final six games or so, but because of the intense pressure in the race, with Chelsea on such an incredible run, he knows this is an almost unique season.
“It has started already. I think usually the last five or six games you need to be around (the top), and then go for it,” he explained.
“But now I know what supporters are doing because I have two sons and they are mainly supporters and they tell always ‘you have to win this, because they then play against them’.
“Of course we have to play all the other teams at the top and when can you win, when can you lose? Actually you can lose nowhere – to stay where we are, we lost two Premier League games and that is not a lot…but we are only third!
“There is obviously a really strong leading group in this league and that makes it exciting. If it was five games to go I’d say we need 15 points otherwise we have no chance. But there are a lot of games to go.
“Maybe you don’t win maximum points but you should not give a lot of points away to stay up there. We know about this. We know about our responsibility.”
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