Liverpool Manager Jurgen Klopp Reveals His Hopes for 'Most Exciting' Title Race in Years
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has been speaking about this season's Premier League title race. Top spot has been hotly contested so far this season; Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea all remain unbeaten after ten games, with the Manchester and Merseyside clubs level on 26 points. Liverpool travel to Arsenal on Saturday evening, who themselves have gone 13 games unbeaten in all competitions.
Even this early on in the season, this game may be a must win for Liverpool if they are to seriously challenge for the title this season. Liverpool have done well to keep pace with a City team who have arguably improved from last season, but any slip ups could give Guardiola's men the head start they need to take control.
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Most managers would feel stressed having such a high pressure game so early in the season, but most managers aren't Jurgen Klopp.
As reported by the Daily Mirror, Klopp spoke of his excitement heading into a long battle for the title in his pre-match press conference:
"Hopefully it stays like this until the end of the season," said Klopp. 'It is probably the most exciting season for years. In Germany, they were constantly complaining about Bayern Munich and everybody knowing who will be champion by October. It's not like that this year.
"Last year a few teams played really good seasons in the Premier League but there was no chance to catch City because, by October-November last year, the gap was already that big. I remember when we played City last season, when we lost there 5-0 [in September]".
Klopp also maintained the importance of worrying about his Liverpool side before obsessing about what City are doing: "for us it is not important what other teams are doing, only if we play them."
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"It doesn't make sense to think [about pressure] as it puts you in a situation where you feel like you are not in charge. You [cannot keep] reacting to what they do. We are really focused on us and that's the only way I know it will work."
The German also reserved praise for Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who Klopp signed for Dortmund from Saint Etienne in 2013:
"Ah, Auba," said a smiling Klopp. 'Yes, the biggest threat: speed. It's unbelievable. He's one of the best players for the counter attack that you can find on this planet because of the timing of the runs and the really outstanding finishing record in situations like that.
"He can play both positions, from the wing or as a single striker or together with another striker. This makes him a very good player to be honest. He's a really nice guy; very, very nice guy with different tastes gear wise, stuff like that. It was always really a pleasure to work with him."
Liverpool have made their own improvements since last season. Although they haven't been as gung-ho going forward, they have tightened up at the back only conceding four goals all season.
They have also found a way to convert draws into wins, allowing them to keep pace with the blue half of Manchester.
Their match at the Emirates on Saturday night against an inform Arsenal will be a huge test of not only how far Liverpool have come, but how far they can go as well.
