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Premier League | Gameweek 31
Mar 17, 2019 at 2.15pm UK
 
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Klopp doubts Man City will suffer from pressure if Liverpool reclaim top spot

Klopp doubts Man City will suffer from pressure if Liverpool reclaim top spot
© Reuters
The can return to the head of the Premier League when they face Fulham this weekend.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp insists his players have not struggled with the pressure of a title race so he does not expect rivals Manchester City to suffer either.

The Reds can return to the top with a two-point lead if they beat Fulham on Sunday, leaving Pep Guardiola's reigning champions to play catch-up as they are involved in the FA Cup against Swansea.

But even with just eight Premier League matches left Klopp does not believe a win at Craven Cottage will exert that much pressure as he has seen first hand how his players have coped.

Jurgen Klopp insists his side did not feel the pressure of playing catch-up in the title race
Jurgen Klopp insists his side has not felt the pressure of playing catch-up in the title race (Richard Sellers/PA)

"Psychologically we didn't struggle because we are not ahead of them any more and it doesn't change," he said.

"Being ahead of City is not that important but we have a game at the weekend and we want to win that game.

"Obviously we are then ahead but it doesn't mean a lot. The game in hand for City is (Manchester) United, for sure not an easy one, but it is not decided at the weekend because of that.

"All the stories will be written but we will accept these stories because it would mean we would have won the game, which is difficult enough and the only thing we think about."

Klopp was speaking before the draw for the Champions League quarter-finals was made which pitted them against Porto, regarded as the weakest side remaining in the competition.

City have drawn domestic opposition in Tottenham but that, in itself, puts a different perspective on their April schedule.

They have a run of games in which they play Spurs three times (once in the Premier League) and Manchester United in the space of a fortnight.

And with Liverpool's confidence boosted by their 3-1 midweek win over Bayern Munich in Germany, Klopp does not expect his side to let up.

"We have been in that situation for a while, it's not that we change our mood constantly, we are focused on the season," he said.

"The season means for us that we have to play two competitions – on Wednesday it was Champions League, from now on for a couple of weeks it's Premier League.

"We were always focused and we will stay focused, that's all that I will say. It's not that we were surprised about ourselves that we can beat Bayern. Stay in that mood and everything will be fine.

"We try to be as long as possible in the tunnel to really focus on the football game and if there is something to celebrate at the end of the season we will be the first to celebrate, but until then let's play football."

With Liverpool still fighting on two fronts, Klopp's critics who say he has to win something after losing three finals during his reign will only get louder.

Not that the manager hears them.

Liverpool were beaten by Real Madrid in the final of last season's Champions League
Liverpool were beaten by Real Madrid in the final of last season's Champions League (Mike Egerton/PA)

"You can't imagine how (little) I'm interested in that. I never thought about myself in that (way)," he said.

"My job is to do everything I can to help the team that we can be as successful as possible. I'm not searching to be remembered in 50 years or whatever people speak about me.

"I am not interested in who judges me. God judges me one day and that is the only thing I am interested in. What other people say about me I couldn't be less interested."

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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool108111961325
2Manchester CityMan City1072121111023
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest10541147719
4Chelsea105322012818
5Arsenal105321711618
6Aston Villa105321715218
7Tottenham HotspurSpurs1051422111116
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton104421714316
9Fulham104331413115
10Bournemouth104331312115
11Newcastle UnitedNewcastle104331010015
12Brentford104151920-113
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd10334912-312
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham103251319-611
15Leicester CityLeicester102441418-410
16Everton102351017-79
17Crystal Palace10145813-57
18Ipswich TownIpswich100551021-115
19Southampton10118719-124
20Wolverhampton WanderersWolves100371427-133


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