Jürgen Klopp’s Only Concern is Brighton and a Top Four Finish

With two weeks between the league closer against Brighton and the Champions League final against Real Madrid, the Reds will have plenty of time to rest and prepare for their Spanish opponents—when the time comes.

That time hasn’t come yet, though. For now, there’s only one game that matters; only one game that’s of any importance for Jürgen Klopp and Liverpool. That’s Brighton, on Sunday, where a win will guarantee a top four finish.

“As long as we are not 100% in the Champions League, this last game is the most important of the season,” Klopp told Sky today. “If we win against Brighton we are in the Champions League. That’s good but there is still a job to do.

“That wasn’t only because of Chelsea. It was all the other games—Tottenham and Everton at home—when we dropped points. That’s the situation but it’s no problem, we have to play it anyway so now we have to win it, that’s it.”

With Chelsea, who beat Liverpool last weekend, drawing with Huddersfield last night, it’s only a draw Liverpool now need—but heading into the final game looking for a draw result was never going to be Klopp’s approach.

And certainly Liverpool fans—and one imagines the manager, too—would feel better heading into the final minutes against Brighton up a goal or two than they would with the score level and the top four in any kind of doubt.

“It’s only the Brighton game and they deserve the focus we can have,” Klopp added. “They have played an outstanding season. Now we play them on Sunday.”