Liverpool Boss Jurgen Klopp Primed for 'Hardest Ever Period' After Strong Premier League Start
By Max Cooper
Jurgen Klopp has called on his players to be prepared for a challenging few months, as his Liverpool side attempt to end their long wait for a Premier League trophy.
The Reds are currently three points ahead of Manchester City, with a game in hand, having won eight of their opening nine league matches in 2019/20. Their strong start to the new season has put them firmly in charge in the title chase.
Liverpool's impressive opening performances have left many at Anfield dreaming of a long-awaited Premier League title victory to follow last season's Champions League triumph, but Klopp was in a philosophical mood during an interview with Sky Sports, in which he described the winter months as 'the hardest period ever'.
He said: "We are in a better position than we would have expected at the start of the season.
"Are we already through? No. We have created a proper basis to work with. The hardest period ever will come up again. November, December, crazy.
"We have to be lucky in some moments. We have to fight for it, and that's what we do. No guarantees."
The Reds went excruciatingly close to title glory last season, racking up an incredible 97 points, but Klopp's men were ultimately pipped to success by Manchester City, who won the top flight by a single point.
However, the German boss believes that his group of players have improved since last year, and their 'different mindset' has led to the Reds' runaway lead during the opening months of the 2019/20 campaign.
"The boys started the season in a different mindset, more convinced about themselves. I feel there is still a lot of space in that department, where they can be more convinced," he said.
Liverpool face Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon, and a victory would restore the Reds' six-point lead over Pep Guardiola's Man City, and Klopp is aware of the task ahead of his players when they face Maurizio Pochettino's wounded Spurs side.
"We need to be intense, because a little bit against Tottenham will not be enough. They want to strike back!"