'If you have no pressure, you're not going for anything'
Jürgen Klopp is embracing the pressure that comes with attempting to lead Liverpool back into the Champions League.
Sunday’s trip to West Ham United represents the Reds’ penultimate game of the Premier League season, with Klopp’s side involved in a four-way battle with Manchester City, Arsenal and Manchester United to decide who finishes third and fourth in the table.
Liverpool travel to the London Stadium in third spot and with their fate in their own hands in terms of Champions League qualification - and the manager is relishing the task of securing a return to European football’s premier club competition.
“It’s as significant as the last few and always,” he told reporters, in response to a question about the importance of this weekend’s match.
“I’ve said it before, it always felt like if we don’t win then this and this happens. It’s something really you have to learn by. The pressure is coming at the end of the season, that’s how it is. If you have no pressure you don’t go for anything, that’s the 100 per cent truth.
“We have this kind of pressure, that’s the problem at the top of the table, all the competitors are really strong and they can all win football games, but we are strong also.
“We have a difficult game to play against West Ham. It’s very important, how important we will see but it’s more than 100 per cent possible and we are focused already and we will be focused on our job.
“That’s all I can say about it. I’m in a positive mood actually because I really like it. I’m really looking forward to it, that’s the things you want to have in my job, situations like this. So, all good so far, now let’s train another few times and let’s go to London.”
West Ham’s last outing saw them end Tottenham Hotspur’s nine-match winning run in the Premier League, and Klopp was impressed by the manner of that 1-0 home victory.
“I thought it was in a few parts their best performance for a long time,” the Reds boss commented.
“We’ve seen the physical data and it was a big, big jump in all the stats we had before, running, high-intensity running and all that stuff so obviously they showed what they are capable of.
“I don’t know enough about it, but what I got aware of was that obviously Slaven Bilic was, if only from the media side, a little bit under pressure and the team obviously wanted to show that we want to work together in the next season.
“It was a good performance, I think Tottenham were not at their best on this night, that’s how it is.
“They were very aggressive, they defended really well and used their opportunities, that’s how football can go.
“It didn’t happen too often to Tottenham this year, obviously, but in this game it happened. So it’s one [piece of] information we have out of a lot and we always expect the strongest opponent because nothing else would make sense.
“We know about their qualities but also about ours and that’s what we want to bring in the game.”
Bilic’s team have put together a five-game unbeaten streak in the top flight, with the Croatian employing a three-man central defence for their last three matches.
Klopp was asked for his view on the improvements the Hammers have made in recent weeks.
“Obviously [Michail] Antonio long-term injured, [Andy] Carroll long-term injured - I think they’re two very decisive players for West Ham and that always makes a difference so you need time to adapt,” he said.
“You have a few runs, positive, sometimes negative and now again positive but of course, everybody knows with the quality of West Ham there is no chance of getting relegated.
“I was never in doubt about their quality. I know the manager, I know the assistant manager even better. So I knew always they would have a solution for the season and now they have it, it’s done.”