LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, October 27, 2019: Liverpool's manager Jürgen Klopp during the pre-match warm-up before the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Tottenham Hotspur FC at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Jurgen Klopp insists winning title at Anfield is “not important” in praise for “stay-at-home fans”

Jurgen Klopp believes it is “not important” whether Liverpool win the title at Anfield, away or at a neutral stadium, calling on the club’s “stay-at-home fans” to relish it.

It is still unclear whether the Reds will be able to play some of their remaining Premier League games at the intended venue, due to concerns over the prospect of fans gathering outside.

The trips to Everton, Man City and Newcastle have been flagged by police as possibly requiring a neutral stadium, as well as the clash which decides the title—which could be as early as the home meeting with Crystal Palace.

Rightly, fans have raised the argument that while the government allows conga lines in Grappenhall and mass applause on Westminster Bridge, football supporters are being unfairly targeted.

Both Liverpool and Everton are set to oppose the plans, but for Klopp, with his focus purely on football, the prospect of winning the title in Manchester or at Wembley does not faze him.

“The situation will change our celebration as well, obviously. But the stadium, we didn’t hear that yet,” he told beIN SPORTS.

“I heard there are some talks about it, I’m pretty sure we can sort the situation here as well in Liverpool.

“We have the best home fans in the world, so maybe now we should have the best stay-at-home fans in the world, that’s how it is.

“We waited for a while for this situation, and it’s not done yet, and if we would have stopped the league, and the silly ‘null and void’ stuff did not happen, it is clear we are already champions.

Liverpool's Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain celebrates scoring his side's second goal of the game with team mate Roberto Firmino during the Premier League match at London Stadium. PA Image: Adam Davy/PA Wire.

“But we wanted to play anyway, and now we are really desperate to play, because we want to become champions on the pitch.

“It looks like we can do that, wherever it will be we don’t know. We hope it will be at Anfield, but we don’t know and that’s not important.

“Most of the people on this planet have never had the chance in their life to become champion of the Premier League.

“For us it looks like we have a chance, so we take it.

“Then there will be a moment in our lives when we have time and the opportunity and it’s allowed again that we can celebrate together, then we will have a moment, we will celebrate it in the right manner. Whenever that will be, we decide how much we enjoy it then.

“In the moment, for me, wherever it will be, in an empty stadium, blah blah blah, with all the thoughts and prayers from all of the people around the world it will still be an absolutely exceptional day in my life.

“Yes, it’s not perfect, but we’ve known for a while it will not be perfect so we are already used to that.

“We just want to have it and then we will see how it feels, and I’m pretty sure it would feel pretty good.”

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, February 1, 2020: Liverpool's goalkeeper Alisson Becker during the pre-match warm-up before the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Southampton FC at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

For Klopp and his players, there would be little difference in playing behind closed doors at Anfield or elsewhere in terms of ‘home advantage’, as the results on the Bundesliga’s return have indicated.

Travel may be an issue, but as the manager pointed out, the prospect of celebrations being tainted by a change of location is a non-starter.

“Usually, very often, you have a 50 percent chance that if you become champion you will not become champion in your stadium,” he continued.

“It’s happened to other teams before, who cares! That’s really not too important.

“We just want to be together in that moment. We will see how much close contact is allowed by then, and we will use each inch of that for sure. But only if it’s allowed.”

Klopp has joined Jordan Henderson and club chairman Tom Werner is pledging a title celebration when it is deemed safe to do so—but like his captain, for now he is simply targeting the six points needed to clinch it first.