Liverpool boss Juergen Klopp says he is amazed that they are 20 points ahead of a strong Manchester City squad but that he is not focused on whether Pep Guardiola's side can catch up in the Premier League title race.
Being 20 points ahead of this Man City side was unthinkable, says Klopp
RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT VIDEO SHOWS: NEWS CONFERENCE WITH LIVERPOOL MANAGER, JUERGEN KLOPP, FILE FOOTAGE OF LIVERPOOL TRAINING SHOWS: LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (JUNE 23, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) LIVERPOOL MANAGER, JUERGEN KLOPP, SAYING: "What I realised when I watched the game last night is how is it possible that anybody is 20 points ahead of this team?
That's pretty much unthinkable actually.
That's unthinkable so we must have done a couple of things really well and right that we can have this situation but no I don't think about City can catch us or whatever I think about Crystal Palace." 2.
WHITE FLASH 3.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) LIVERPOOL MANAGER, JUERGEN KLOPP, SAYING: "What I mean is I'm really only concerned about what we are doing and I only think about we have to do in the next game and not what City is doing.
I watch them because we play them tomorrow, no on Thursday in a week so in eight days, nine days and that's why I watch them; not for hoping that they lose or whatever it's never like this.
Maybe I wanted them to lose last year against Leicester but that didn't work really well so that's why I stopped doing that." 4.
WHITE FLASH 5.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) LIVERPOOL MANAGER, JUERGEN KLOPP, TALKING ABOUT CRYSTAL PALACE, SAYING: "So it is a game against a very, very good side.
Roy (Hodgson) is doing an incredible job there so the organisation of the team is really, really, really highest level meanwhile the team's physically strong, good individuals, has a good setup that all in all works pretty well.
They have four games in a row I think without conceding a goal.
So that's all pretty positive from their point of view but we have our own targets, our own aims. We want to go with all we have and we want to make a special game for us of this game.
So of course it's important who we play but whoever we would play it would be the same." 6.
WHITE FLASH 7.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) LIVERPOOL MANAGER, JUERGEN KLOPP, RESPONDING TO QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER HE KNOWS IF LIVERPOOL'S MATCH AWAY TO MANCHESTER CITY ON JULY 2 WILL BE MOVED TO A NEUTRAL STADIUM, SAYING: "Honestly, if I look at my watch I would prefer it in Manchester otherwise it would be really difficult to organise it.
Honestly, I don't know exactly how that will be but it will not be Liverpool means we have to go somewhere where we both need a hotel probably or not.
We don't know how to organise it.
That's a little bit of an issue but a part from that we play where people send us to.
We cannot (INAUDIBLE).
I would prefer it in Manchester obviously but I don't know, I don't know about the process exactly.
I wait until the final information is confirmed, at Manchester or not and when if not where it will be but like I said t would be a challenge for both clubs now." LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, UK (FILE - DECEMBER 9, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 8.
LIVERPOOL MANAGER, JUERGEN KLOPP, WALKING OUT FOR TRAINING 9.
SADIO MANE 10.
MANE WARMING UP WITH MOHAMED SALAH 11.
KLOPP (RED CAP) WITH STAFF 12.
PLAYERS WARMING UP 13.
SALAH (BACK TO CAMERA) PASSING BALL 14.
ROBERTO FIRMINO 15.
KLOPP STORY: Liverpool boss Juergen Klopp says he is amazed that they are 20 points ahead of a strong Manchester City squad but that he is not focused on whether Pep Guardiola's side can catch up in the Premier League title race.
Klopp said he watched City beat Burnley 5-0 on Monday and marvelled at their dominance as Guardiola made eight changes to the starting lineup to showcase their squad depth.
Liverpool are due to play City on July 2, after Guardiola's side play Chelsea, and the title could be decided by then with seven games to go but Klopp said his sole focus was on Wednesday's opponents, Crystal Palace.
"What I realised when I watched the game last night was how is it possible that any team is 20 points ahead of this team, that's unthinkable," Klopp told reporters in a virtual news conference.
"We must have obviously done a couple of things really well and right.
But no, I don't think about whether City can catch us, I think about Crystal Palace... I'm only concerned about what we are doing in the next game and not what City are doing.
"I watch them because we play them in nine days, not for hoping that they lose.
I wanted them to lose last year against Leicester (City) but that didn't work really well so that's why I stopped doing that." City pipped Liverpool to the title last season by a single point and the turning point was a hard-fought 1-0 win over Leicester City in their penultimate game.
Palace were the last team to win a league match at Anfield back in 2017 and Roy Hodgson's side come into the contest on the back of a four-match winning run.
"Roy is doing an incredible job there," Klopp said.
"The organisation of the team is really at the highest level, the team is physically strong with a good setup.
"They've had four games in a row without conceding a goal.
It's all positive from their point of view but we have our own targets." Klopp confirmed Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson were back in contention but James Milner and Joel Matip would not be available.
Should Liverpool not win the title this week it will go to at least July 2 when they play Manchester City.
The match is currently scheduled to be played at City's Etihad stadium but it could be moved to a neutral ground.
Klopp said he'd prefer the game to remain at the Etihad and moving the match now would be a challenge for both clubs.
(Production: Tim Hart)