Klopp Talk: Liverpool Must “Ignore” Title Rivals

With Tottenham losing to Manchester United, Liverpool have a nine point advantage over the third-place side. With Manchester City still to play Wolves in the 22nd round of the 2018-19 Premier League season, they have a seven point gap between them and number two.

Whatever happens in that game, though, Jürgen Klopp is only concerned about Liverpool. Whatever the result, Liverpool will still be out in front. And whatever the gap, Liverpool will control their own destiny. If Liverpool keep winning, what others do doesn’t matter.

“We are just completely, completely focused on our situation,” Klopp said when asked about the title race. “There is not a time when we start counting down how many games we have left to the end of the season. Anything that happens around us is not important.”

That might be easier said than done, especially for the fans who will be hoping for a Wolves upset that keeps the gap at seven heading into the next round of games, but so far it’s been Liverpool’s approach this season—and so far it’s worked out very well for them.

In the autumn when they were chasing City, through the holiday fixture run when they took over top spot, and now into January this is a group that has kept focus on the team they play next and not gotten caught up in watching what those around them are doing.

This is a side that looks confident, that has proven their ability to grind out results week in and week out. The approach Klopp has taken has certainly worked so far, and so whatever happens next, that’s the approach they’re going to keep taking each and every week.

“It is all about staying completely focused on your own situation and obviously we can then win football games,” the Liverpool manager added. “The boys have proved this season already a lot. It’s just a case of being really focused on yourself everything will be fine.

“You have no real influence on what other teams are doing. If you play them, prepare for them. If you don’t play them, ignore them.”