Jurgen Klopp has urged Liverpool to stay motivated to reach their target of a place in next season’s Champions League by the end of the season.
Klopp has acknowledged ahead of Liverpool’s clash with bottom side Swansea at Anfield on Tuesday that a Premier League title challenge is beyond them given they trail leaders Manchester City by 20 points.
But the German believes there is still plenty for the fourth placed Reds to play for and they should not get complacent just because City are so far ahead.
“We have to qualify for the Champions League. We have to finish as high as possible,” Klopp said.
“It looks like we could be second, third or fourth this year, that’s a fantastic situation. Not the dream but a fantastic situation.
“That’s what we are working on and for this we have to improve in all departments.
“This year, I don’t think that anyone apart from Manchester City and maybe Manchester United are thinking too much about how they can win the league.
“In a very difficult league, performance-wise we are really consistent so far. If we stay consistent and avoid our mistakes, mistakes like in the 3-3 draw with Arsenal, we will win much more games than we lose or draw.
“As it was and so it will be against Swansea, we have to perform first of all and then we have to see how the other team can react.”
POCH AVOIDS TOP FOUR TALK
Mauricio Pochettino insists Tottenham cannot allow themselves to be distracted by the fluctuating form of their nearest rivals as they step up their bid for a top four spot.
Pochettino’s side welcome Southampton to Wembley after a round of weekend matches that strengthened the position of the north London club.
“We cannot think about another club. We need to keep the momentum, to try to win again, to be consistent,” Pochettino said.
“If we want to fight to the end for big things, we must try to be consistent. “But I’m sure the team are focused. The team are in a good way. It was so important to believe again and to smile again by winning at Burnley, after the defeat at Manchester City.
“I think we need to focus on the challenge of Southampton. We cannot think about second, first, third or top four. I think the most important thing is the next game.”
MATA TELLS ‘CHILDISH’ UNITED: GET OVER IT
JOSE Mourinho criticised his side’s “childish” display after what felt like a pre- Christmas defeat for United in the 2-2 draw against Leicester.
Burnley arrive at Old Trafford on Boxing Day with Jose Mourinho’s men reeling from back-to-back disappointments, kicked off by Bristol City knocking the holders out of the League Cup on Wednesday.
“We didn’t kill it – and we should have killed it,” Juan Mata told MUTV. “It’s easy to say now.
“If we instead of drawing win at the end, we would have been saying that it was a fantastic game, that we came back and we did the most difficult thing which is to score twice after they went ahead.
“But that’s football, you know, and in the last second they put the ball into the box and they scored.
“It feels like a defeat. We get a point but it feels like a defeat because we were so close to winning and we had a chance to kill the game.”
CHELSEA NEED TO AVOID ANOTHER SHUT OUT
Thibaut Courtois has warned Chelsea to expect more of the same against Brighton after a frustrating Premier League stalemate with Everton.
The reigning champions were unable to find a way past Toffees goalkeeper Jordan Pickford at Goodison Park on Saturday despite having 25 shots and 68 per cent of possession.
Sam Allardyce’s side proved to be a resolute unit that Antonio Conte’s Blues were unable to break down and goalkeeper Courtois is expecting Brighton, who visit Chelsea on Boxing Day, and Stoke, who make the trip to Stamford Bridge four days later, to operate with similar tactics.
“We want to finish the year well,” Courtois told Chelsea TV. “It’s two difficult home games. Brighton is a team that are doing well in the Premier League. I think it will be the same – a defensive team trying to counterattack us, and Stoke will be the same.
“We just have to try and recover well. Everything comes fast after the new year so I think the manager will try to use all the players he has available. “We have to be ready and show the manager we can play. If everyone does that we will be fine.”
HOWE THE LAST MANAGER STANDING IN RELEGATION BATTLE
Eddie Howe is hoping a kinder run of fixtures can help reinvigorate Bournemouth’s season but it may be hampered by injuries.
The Cherries are winless in their last eight matches, last tasting success against Huddersfield on November 18, and have endured a testing run of matches. Their last three Premier League matches against Manchester United, Liverpool and Manchester City have all ended in defeat, with nine goals conceded and none scored, with a League Cup defeat at Chelsea thrown in for good measure. West Ham’s Boxing Day visit to the Vitality Stadium marks the start of a friendlier set of assignments, and Howe is hoping that signals an upturn in form.
“The games we’ve got to come are going to be vital for us,” he said. “The run of fixtures we’ve had has been incredibly difficult but we’re through that now and we’ve got to focus on the games coming up.
“It’s been tough for us.”
Injuries have not helped.
Junior Stanislas limped off at the Etihad Stadium with a hamstring niggle, joining Jermain Defoe (ankle), Harry Arter (calf), Charlie Daniels (groin), Joshua King (hamstring), Brad Smith (hip), former Socceroos goalkeeper Adam Federici and Tyrone Mings (both back) in the treatment room.
No comments:
We have Zero Tolerance to Spam. Chessy Comments and Comments with Links will be deleted immediately upon our review.
Post a Comment