Jurgen Klopp urges Liverpool to 'stay greedy' in pursuit of trophies

By Matthew Treadwell

Monday 12 August 2019 13:08, UK

Jurgen Klopp has urged Liverpool to "stay greedy" as they attempt to build on last season’s Champions League success.

Liverpool defeated Tottenham to claim the European crown in June but once again missed out on Premier League glory to Manchester City.

Klopp's side began the new domestic campaign in positive fashion as they look to win the title for the first time since 1990 after they defeated Norwich 4-1 at Anfield on Friday night.

Next up for the Reds is another all-English European match-up, when they play Chelsea in the Super Cup in Istanbul on Wednesday, and Klopp is demanding a ruthless approach once again this season.

Asked what they need to do to build on their success in 2018/19, Klopp told uefa.com: "Stay greedy. That's very important - I have no doubt about that, but it's clear that we have to do that.

"After the [Champions League] final we had about four weeks where everybody was [patting us on the back] and it was brilliant wherever we went.

"It's just nice, but in a different world things like this can soften you and it can take the power out of you a bit. We are not like this, but it's a fact that it could happen.

"We only have to do the same again, and with a couple of things we maybe didn't do too well, we have to do better.

"Knowing that something works out helps you to believe that it'll work out again, 100 per cent. That helps when I try to convince the boys that [anything is] possible.

"Thank God I'm not the only one in the dressing room who thinks that these things are possible, and that helps a lot."

While Liverpool's Premier League campaign began brightly, Frank Lampard's return to Chelsea as head coach started with a 4-0 drubbing away to Manchester United.

Chelsea lost playmaker Eden Hazard to Real Madrid over the summer and Lampard must rely on players already at Stamford Bridge while the club serves a transfer ban imposed by UEFA for breaking Financial Fair Play rules.

"It's a final, but the big difference between the Champions League final and this game is that it's a new season, a different opponent," added Klopp.

"I think Chelsea have changed a lot: a new manager, Eden Hazard is not there anymore."

Chelsea will hope to bounce back from their heavy defeat away to Old Trafford when they face Leicester on Sunday - live on Sky Sports - while Liverpool go up against Southampton at St Mary's.