Jurgen Klopp has claimed that Liverpool have already made a ‘statement’ of intent this season but warned that the Reds can’t let up in their Premier League title pursuit.
We go into this weekend’s fixtures top of the table on 60 points, with Manchester City one behind and Arsenal two off the summit, and we have the chance to lay down a marker to the chasing pair if we can beat Nottingham Forest tomorrow before Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta’s teams play their matches.
Speaking in his press conference on Friday, the LFC manager voiced his satisfaction with the campaign so far, but he’s determined not to let a potential title challenge fizzle out in the final 12 games.
Klopp said (via Liverpool Echo): “We’re only one [point] above Man City and two ahead of Arsenal but 60 points is a statement for this level. But stay there and we probably don’t get Champions League, so let’s go.”
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The evidence of the first two-thirds of the season suggests that Liverpool have it in them to maintain their Premier League title challenge right up to the climax of the campaign.
The Reds have suffered the fewest defeats of any team in the division (two), scored the most goals (63) and conceded the second-fewest (25), while this month’s fixtures offer a real opportunity to seize control in the race for the trophy.
Man City’s visit to Anfield next weekend provides us with a chance to land a direct blow on a title rival, while the champions’ clash against Arsenal on 31 March will see at least one of those drop points, possibly both if it ends in a draw.
If that comes to pass and Liverpool also take care of their own business against Forest and Brighton in March, it’d leave us in a very strong position for the final two months of the season.
We only need to look at how the Gunners were looking good to potentially dethrone City this time last year but fell away at the business end of the campaign for a warning not to ease off the accelerator, but the Reds have already shown incredible mental fortitude so far in 2023/24, particularly over the past week.
The good news for Klopp is that it’s still in his team’s hands. So long as LFC do what they have to, the chasers can only try to stay in touch. Let’s not give them a sniff!