Jurgen Klopp Insists Liverpool Should Be Happy With Top Four Finish Despite Cup Failures

Jurgen Klopp is of the belief that back-to-back top four finishes in the Premier League will constitute as a successful season for Liverpool. 

The Reds would have been pining for a run in both domestic cup competitions and a shot at the title at the start of the season, but two early exits and a rampant Manchester City has left Liverpool with just a top four position to fight for domestically. 

Michael Regan/GettyImages

Although the Reds have reached the Champions League knockout stages, Klopp feels a position on Europe's top table for a second season running - last achieved in 2008 and 2009 - is an achievement all in its own for the club.

“When you start a season you can dream of something and you have to make a realistic target as well," Klopp told the Telegraph. 

“Being champion is probably the dream – not only at Liverpool but especially at Liverpool. Because of the season City is playing that is quite difficult. 

"Then I would prefer to be second, to be honest, if you cannot be first. But if you are second, third or fourth at the end of the season when you look back all three positions are good and similarly difficult to reach.

“Everybody thinks Arsenal is away but they are not. In one matchday if one of us is losing and Arsenal winning, then they are five points [behind]. Tottenham is behind all of us in the Champions League position at the moment, so [top four] is for sure a success.”

PAUL ELLIS/GettyImages

Ending the season on a successful note is another story, however, as just two points separate fifth-placed Tottenham and third-placed Liverpool ahead of the pairs clash at Anfield on Sunday - where a victory for either side could prove decisive with just 12 league games remaining. 

It is a less than comfortable gap but Klopp is aware that his side need to step up to the challenge if they are to rightfully earn their place in the top four come the last day of the season.

He said: “This is the first moment we are ahead of Tottenham [at this stage]. But it is only two points. It is nothing.

“Before the game it makes it interesting. But in the end I think to fulfil our dreams at some point we have to overtake all of them. We cannot decide when or which [team]. We have to be ready for achieving the biggest thing.”