Liverpool manager, Jurgen Klopp, is being “realistic” about his hopes of winning the Premier League 2023/24 title, saying, “both Manchester City and Arsenal must lose two games” and the Reds “have to win four”.
 |
| Liverpool manager, Jurgen Klopp, at a press conference ahead of the Premier League 2023/24 match against West Ham United at London Stadium on Saturday 27 April, 2024. Photo: liverpoolfc.com |
The German made the statement in a press conference ahead of the Premier League 2023/24 match between West Ham and Liverpool.
West Ham United and Liverpool will slug it out in the top flight match at London Stadium on Saturday 27 April, 2024.
Klopp confessed he felt “disappointed and frustrated” after his side’s 0-2 fall against Everton at Goodison Park on Thursday 25 April, 2024; and now he has to face the Hammers “in 24 hours pretty much”.
He blamed himself “for the mood the team is in” currently.
According to liverpoolfc.com, Liverpool manager, Jurgen Klopp, said, in his pre-West Ham conference:
On responding to the Everton defeat and the status of the title race…
It’s definitely the job and it’s a challenge as well because I can’t remember I’ve ever been as disappointed and frustrated after a game like I was after the Everton game. I lost, unfortunately, a lot of games in my life but it was special. We were not there. You see the other two teams playing – Arsenal and [Manchester] City, I didn’t watch them but I know obviously about the games – and [they are playing] very positive football, high results. We are where we are in the table because we are able to play positive football. In this decisive area, we don’t play positive football – I blame myself absolutely for that. I don’t know how it happened but I am responsible for the mood the team is in. I don’t say it’s the best place, Goodison Park, for a Liverpool team to play the most positive football – you have to put a fight out there, stuff like this. We lost pretty much all the decisive battles at least. That was really, really bad.
On the approach for the final four games of the season…
Step by step, game by game – how can you do it differently? We obviously played just the other night and play tomorrow at 12.30, so in 24 hours pretty much, that’s it. So, don’t get me wrong, nobody gave up here. We just need to be realistic. Both of them [Man City and Arsenal] must lose two games. First of all, we have to win four and they have to lose two games. They didn’t lose two games I don’t know since when, so why should it start now? But if it happens, we have to be there, stuff like this. So, that’s it, that’s the approach. How I said, I didn’t like our football and I hope I can help the boys to play better and much more positive again.
On facing West Ham…
David is one of the best colleagues. We don’t have time really to spend together but we spoke actually over the years a lot before games or whatever. I like him a lot, respect him a lot. I think he is doing an incredible job, to be honest. I like the team they have, offensively really talented, good transfers. [Jarrod] Bowen, I’ve said it a couple of times, he’s one of my favourite players, [I] like a lot the way he developed since he came from Hull. [Mohammed] Kudus, super-talented, [Lucas] Paqueta, Michail Antonio, top striker. [James] Ward-Prowse, super-smart signing for West Ham, I have to say.
On how he ‘gets Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah going again’…
That’s always the most tricky thing to do. Strikers not striking or scoring, whatever I say, it’s tricky. Strikers have to go through these things, that’s a striker’s life. A goalkeeper’s life is make 500 saves and one howler and everybody talks about this. A striker’s life, you score all the time and then you don’t score for a while and everybody asks you why you don’t score. It’s the most difficult thing in the world and can sometimes be the most easy thing in the world, it depends on the assists you get. Generally our timing is not fantastic for that in the moment, for all of us. We were not great for this last two weeks or so, or parts of that. We have four games to go, 12 points to get. If you ask me, I want them all.
