Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is happy to keep hanging on to the coat-tails of Chelsea and hopes he can annoy the Premier League leaders a bit more before the end of the season.
The 1-0 victory over Manchester City, courtesy of Georginio Wijnaldum‘s eighth-minute header, maintained the second-placed Reds’ six-point gap to Antonio Conte’s side.
Chelsea extended their remarkable winning run to 13 games with victory over Stoke but – much to Klopp’s delight – they have not been able to extend any significant advantage.
“They won 13 games in a row. Not bad. Can you imagine how annoying it is when you win 13 games in a row and there is still one team only six points behind?” he said.
“It is unbelievably difficult in this league but we cannot have a look at Chelsea, they are unbelievably strong and they are on an outstanding run.
“We have to win our games and see where that takes us.”
Asked whether Liverpool could replicate a run similar to Chelsea‘s Klopp, whose side have won four in succession, said: “You need to win 14! Nobody really thinks we can do it.
“It will be difficult enough to win at Sunderland. I know what we have to do to win the next game but not to get Chelsea.”
Klopp played down the significance of victory over Pep Guardiola’s side, despite it giving them a four-point cushion over their top-four rivals.
“I don’t know if I need to be anything but to be happy when we win against City. Actually I know I don’t,” he added.
“We got the three points. I really thought we deserved it and that is the only thing which is really important.
“We are in the region of the table where we need to be.”
Defeat left City 10 points behind Chelsea, not an insurmountable total, but Guardiola insists they cannot look that far ahead. “When you are 10 points behind you have to be focused just on the next game,” he said.
“The next game starts the day after tomorrow and the result is what it is. There are many things to fight for: the Premier League, the Champions League, the cup.
“We are not even in January. There are a lot of games to play and you have to be patient and keep going.”
Liverpool did seem good value for the three points but Guardiola did not feel City, who have not won at Anfield since 2003, were outplayed.
He said: “We lost a game but I think the game was equal. “We spoke about coming here with courage. I know Manchester City‘s history here and what it means at Anfield but we started quite well.
“After the first time they arrived (in our box), like in other games, we conceded a goal with a good cross and a good header but nothing happened too much in the first half.
“We didn’t create too many chances, but Liverpool neither. The second half they started better than us in the first 10 minutes but after that the game changed a little bit.
“We were in control, we were so aggressive and we created a little more chances, but in the last 10 minutes nothing happened.”
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