Liverpool beat Man City 3-1 in the Premier League to move nine points clear of the reigning champions
Monday 11 November 2019 11:59, UK
Jurgen Klopp says Liverpool need every Premier League point on the board so far to help them through their "most intense period ever" over the next six weeks.
Liverpool's defeat of Manchester City 3-1 on Renault Super Sunday sent them eight points clear at the top of the table and nine ahead of the reigning champions, who are fourth.
But the Reds are facing a daunting run of games, playing every few days from after the international break until the new year, and Klopp says every Premier League point amassed so far will be needed to help them through that period.
"I have no idea if I've ever had a nine-point lead, it has never been nine points over City, especially after a game against them so it is completely new," Klopp told Sky Sports.
"Each point we have now, we need to go through the most intense period ever for us. You see how Chelsea and Leicester are performing, if we lose today, it is then about five points? After the start we had, five points is nothing.
"We have to play them [Man City] again and we don't care about the table or whatever, we just try to do the right things in the specific games and if we can do that, then we are good but we need the boys for that and we have to hope they stay fit."
Sunday's result could prove to be massive in the title race this season, and Klopp was not surprised when Man City dominated the game at Anfield, but Liverpool's intensity helped to see them over the line.
He added: "We are not surprised that City had moments or more against us, it is completely normal. I don't know a lot of ways to beat City but if we want to do it, we have to do it with intensity and forcing them into our game, and that's what the boys did today.
"It didn't make it easy for City but in every situation when they're in control, it's like 'wow' and it's unfortunately like this.
"In the last 10 or 15 minutes, City scored a goal and it gave them momentum and belief and they controlled the game, but in the other 75 minutes, we controlled the game with our intensity.
"We didn't let them do what they wanted and if that was more easy, I think other teams would try it and the boys put an incredible shift in again.
"They were wonderful goals, all three goals were incredible and that's what you need on a day like this. If you want to win against City, you will not score easy goals so you have to make it kind of special and defend with all you have and that's what we did."
There was a moment of controversy when Trent Alexander-Arnold appeared to handle the ball inside the area, before Liverpool scored 22 seconds later. A VAR review did not pull the game back to give Man City a penalty - and rule out Fabinho's wonderful strike - but Klopp was diplomatic about the situation.
"I didn't see it," he said. "I only know what people have told me which is it first hit (Bernardo) Silva's hand and then Trent's hand so I don't know. I can imagine that is not a situation Pep [Guardiola] is really pleased with.
"Somebody has to decide that but if Silva had scored with his hand, it would have been disallowed wherever the hand was so who wants to make that decision?
"I didn't see it but I can understand each disappointment. After conceding a goal when you have a disappointment like that, I 100 per cent understand, we would have felt the exact same but we cannot change it."
Klopp praised his Liverpool players for capitalising on City's sense of injustice, and the manner in which they rubbed further salt into the champions' wounds with two more goals of the highest order.
"The reaction," he added, "to be in front of their goal 22 seconds later [after the handball incident] and then for Fabinho to score with the stunner that brought us the 1-0 lead was amazing.
"I don't think I've ever seen a goal like the second one we scored, probably not. A right full-back with a 60-yard pass to the left full-back, two touches and then a cross over 40 yards and then a header. That is pretty special. It was a good moment to score a goal like that.
"And then the third goal, very good also, sensational cross and Sadio [Mane] in the right position. And around those three goals was the hardest work from the boys who deserved the three points."
Having ended an 18-month wait to claim their first victory over Manchester City, Klopp outlined his blueprint for beating the champions.
"If you want to beat Manchester City, which is really difficult for any team in the world, you cannot play the way they play because they are definitely the best in the way they play. It makes no sense," the Reds boss said.
"So we had to try to push through our way. We were intense from the first second, you could sense it was important for both teams. We scored two incredible goals. We had to suffer in moments but we were able to control the game until our legs tired.
"We needed a little bit of luck in moments, they had a bit of momentum when they made it 3-1, but we changed formations and got through.
"I liked the game. I loved the atmosphere, it was incredible. People were just amazing. And it all came against an outstandingly strong opponent."
