Jurgen Klopp has told his Liverpool players that they “cannot start a party” yet after the Reds’ 2-0 away win at Wolves ensured they will lead the Premier League table come Christmas Day.
Liverpool weren’t at their incisive best at Molineux, with the match played at a sticky speed under heavy rainfall, however goals from Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk either side of half-time saw them saunter to another comfortable clean sheet victory.
After the match, Klopp claimed that it had been one of Liverpool’s toughest matches of the season and effused pride in his side’s performance.
“It was clear that the whole game would be difficult” Klopp told BBC. “Everybody wants to press. We want to be compact but wide as well which makes it difficult. We defended it pretty well. The heavy rain was difficult for both teams tonight. It was a big fight. We knew that we needed to be ready.
“The first goal was brilliant, it was cool. And the second goal – yes, well done! I am completely happy with the result and it is big for us. We wanted to surprise our opponent. It was brilliant – both goals. It was perfect football, especially on a night like tonight when it was difficult to play proper football.”
Yet Klopp revealed that there would be no let-up for his side, regardless of the win, and that he expected his players to pitch up for training as usual on Christmas morning ahead of hosting Boxing Day’s fixture with Newcastle at Anfield.
In eight of the last nine league campaigns, only one side who have led at Christmas have not gone on to win the league – Liverpool in 2013 under Brendan Rodgers – so with Manchester City less than a sliver behind, Klopp has set his team the target of 105 points to become champions.
“I saw some really good things tonight,” Klopp continued. “We will be training on Christmas morning so it is like every other day. It is an outstanding number [of points in the league] – it is absolutely cool.
“We have Manchester City waiting and that will be really tough for the boys. We need to have different game plans but the boys showed they are ready for that.”
