Jurgen Klopp has discussed his approach ahead of Liverpool’s ‘massive game’ with Tottenham this week.
Liverpool travel to north London on Sunday as the club look to bounce back from successive Premier League defeats, with the Reds eight points adrift of the top four after a difficult start to the season.
Spurs are third in the Premier League table at present and this weekend’s clash shapes as a pivotal one for Liverpool as Klopp’s side look to get back into the race for Champions League football. Ahead of the clash, Klopp discussed the importance of the fixture for his side.
“Sunday is a big game for us, massive game and difficult as well,” Klopp told his pre-match press conference.
“I didn’t count the points distance between us and them. We cannot be picky with opponents and games, and where we want to get points. We have to go for it, but it’s difficult.
“We know Tottenham are a well-organised side, defending with an extremely high level and counter-attacking is a massive thing. We saw their offensive power in the last two games when they had to chase. Spurs are in a good moment.
“They have had two games now around the last minute, especially the last one [v Marseille] was a really big one for Tottenham, so we are prepared for a confident, strong opponent.”
Klopp opened up on his team’s struggles this season, with Liverpool closer on points to the relegation places than the top four at present. After narrowly missing out on the Premier League title last season, it has been a decline for the Reds who are a significant distance off the pace.
The German spoke on coming through a tough moment for his team and says the immediate focus in on securing a positive result against ‘a really good team’ in Spurs.
“The problem is, if you are to explain wins, it is really easy because everybody is smiling and nobody is really listening. Explaining when you lose is much more difficult because each word is really important,” he said.
“If you want to get out of something, you have to go through it first, and that is where we are.
“It might take time, but it doesn’t mean we don’t say now ‘Tottenham is too early for us to show up’. No, it is not.
“We go there wanting to be at our best, but sitting here now and being 1,000 percent convinced, no. But what I can tell you, it never was before going to Tottenham that I thought ‘Good moment to face Tottenham, let’s smash them!’ That was never the case.
“It’s a difficult place to go. A really good team. Extremely well-coached and a real fighting unit. There are no friendly games against them. Antonio is on his toes on the sideline. The players are in challenges. It will be a tough one, but that is what we all want.
“It’s like a Champions League game in the Premier League, and that is how we will approach it.”
