Watch Jurgen Klopp’s pre-match press conference – Liverpool vs. Man City

February 5, 2021
Joanna Durkan

Jurgen Klopp continued to bat away questions pertaining to the title race as his focus lies solely on the one game at a time mantra ahead of Man City‘s visit on Sunday.

The Reds find themselves seven points adrift of league leaders Man City ahead of their league meeting at Anfield on Sunday after their latest defeat.

And it, of course, led to thoughts about the title race as the manager fronted the press, but he was not quite in a mood to entertain such questions as Liverpool are not currently in a position to do so.

“You have to win football games, if you do that often enough then there will be a specific moment in the season when it is clear, ‘ok, now we go for it’,” he told reporters on Friday.

“In the last two years, we were in that situation, at the moment we are not. So why should we think about?

“What we have to think about is collecting enough points that it might happen in April or May again, but I don’t know yet so why should we think about it.

“We only think about it because we get asked, but it’s not important. It’s not what drives you through the day about being so close to City.

“We really try hard in a very, very tricky season and we will continue to try, 100 percent.”

There was also a word on the in-form Ilkay Gundogan, who Klopp, of course, managed at Borussia Dortmund, after notching nine goals in 23 appearances so far this season.

“Not at all [surprised with his form], goalscoring may be a little bit but the rest not. Ilkay was one of the best players I ever coached,” the boss added.

“He was a very young player when he came to Dortmund and played pretty much like he’s playing now.

“He had, unfortunately, some injuries, really tough injuries. But that’s now all sorted and it’s the longest period he can play football without getting interrupted. And I wish he will continue like this.”

Klopp also provided an update on the availability of Ozan Kabak and the progress of Sadio Mane, Fabinho and Alisson after speaking about the uncertainty of where the tie against RB Leipzig is to take place and not making a big fuss of the two defeats at Anfield.