Klopp: Too early for title talk
| LIVERPOOL | BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION |
Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp has warned that it is too early in the season to talk about being favourites for the English Premier League title, insisting that his team still have much to improve.
The Reds, who are second in the standings and one point behind leaders Chelsea (22), are aiming to stretch their unbeaten league run to 20 matches when they host Brighton & Hove Albion at Anfield on Saturday (Oct 30).
“There are 28 games after the next one. It’s a really okay start but even then we had our downs and moments we weren’t happy with,” said Klopp on Friday (Oct 29).
“We constantly have things to improve. We’re not silly – to win a game you have to defend. This is the standard of the league and, to be in the area of the table at the top around May, you need to be on an incredibly high level.
“At this moment, we don’t know. You can never be sure. It’s important for a good start and we’ve had that. But so have other clubs.”
Klopp’s side have scored at least two goals in 13 of their last 14 EPL encounters, and chances are they will continue to do so against Brighton today.
But the German believes that the Seagulls, who find themselves in a surprising fifth place, are not to be underestimated.
“Tomorrow is one of the trickiest games in the Premier League because of the work Graham (Potter) is doing at Brighton and the way they play,” Klopp added.
“Brighton are a real threat, not scored a lot but don’t concede a lot.”
Potter’s men have netted only nine times in nine matches and are winless in their past five games in all competitions after their good start to the campaign.
But their unbeaten away run is still intact, taking eight points from their four road fixtures.
Potter admitted that he does not know how to stop Liverpool hotshot Mohamed Salah, who has scored in his last 10 consecutive matches.
“At the moment, he’s not world class, he is out-of-this-world class,” said Potter. “But it’s not just him who is a top, top player for Liverpool. It’s a team. These top teams have wonderful individual players but they are also a unit and we must try to deal with that.”
Brighton will be missing Steven Alzate and Danny Welbeck due to long-term injuries.
Liverpool are facing an injury crisis in midfield, with Thiago Alcantara, James Milner, Harvey Elliott and Fabinho set to miss out while Naby Keita “looks good” and is ready. – AFP
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