Liverpool vs Manchester City: Jurgen Klopp says his team are 'annoying' Premier League leaders Chelsea
'Can you imagine how annoying it is when you win 13 games in a row and there is one team only six points behind?'
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Your support makes all the difference.After ending the year with a 1-0 win over Manchester City, Jurgen Klopp said it would be annoying for Chelsea to have won 13 games in a row and still have Liverpool on their heels.
Liverpool can cut Chelsea’s lead at the top of the Premier League to three points should they win at Sunderland on Monday which would significantly increase the pressure on Antonio Conte’s side before they face Tottenham at White Hart Lane on Wednesday.
“Chelsea are unbelievably strong and they are on an outstanding run,” said the Liverpool manager. “They have won 13 games in a row. Not bad. Can you imagine how annoying it is when you win 13 games in a row and there is one team only six points behind?”
Klopp said he would be celebrating the end of 2016 by “walking the dog and getting some sleep” but under him Liverpool have proved to be an outstanding side against the leading teams. Their games against Chelsea, Manchester City, Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham have brought Liverpool three win and two draws.
“It is the best way I could have imagined to end the year,” said Klopp. “City are a good side. It was clear we needed to be compact because, if you are not compact against Manchester City, you do not play.
“I cannot remember a lot of chances that City created and maybe that is the biggest compliment I can pay my side. The problem was that we were not as good as we should have been in possession. We passed too late or too early and we lost balls in the wrong moment. It was very intense but it was not as if we expected anything different.”
The only downside to the evening was a heel injury sustained by the Liverpool captain, Jordan Henderson, and the fact that Chelsea keep on winning. “I spoke to the guys before the game and it was clear from their faces that Chelsea had won again,” said Klopp. “Now we have to win our games and see where that takes us.”
Ten points off the pace, Pep Guardiola was more upbeat than might have been expected at the end of a month that has seen his Manchester City side lose to both Chelsea and Liverpool. “Before their goal we started really well with huge personality at Anfield,” he said. “But, of course, it was difficult against a team that counter-attacks like masters. In the second half it was much better and we had our chances.
“This kind of football here it is like this – you don’t have time to think. It is so aggressive, up and down, up and down, second ball and second ball - and at the end something happens. But I think the game was equal.”
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