'Spurs clash is a six-point game'

Two points separate Liverpool and the Londoners before their Premier League clash at Anfield this weekend, with the race for a top-four position increasing in ferocity as the run-in approaches.

At his pre-match press conference, Klopp assessed the importance of the match in the context of that battle for Champions League qualification and explained why a repeat of his side’s performance against Manchester City last month is possible.

The boss also shared his faith that Sadio Mane can rediscover his best form. Read the quotes in full below…

On the importance of the game…

The Tottenham game at Wembley was not a good game from us. They had a good start, good middle of the game, and good finish – that’s why they won the game. But it’s absolutely nothing to do with the next game. [But with] the situation in the table, our targets and what we want to do and where we want to finish the season, it is clear it is a very important game. These are ‘six-point’ games and the only advantage one team can have in a situation like this is to play at home, at Anfield in this case. That’s really good and I’m looking forward to it.

I saw the game against Manchester United. They know it was kind of a lucky start; there were a lot of long balls in the history of football and the second touch – but it doesn’t lead too often to a goal. They were awake the whole game, sharp over 95 minutes. It looked really good. You don’t keep Manchester United that often, so often, away from your own goal as Tottenham did in that game. A few players are coming back; maybe Alderweireld is back, Lucas Moura is a new signing and may be involved. They are in a good moment. But our moment is not too bad as well. It will be interesting.

On Mane’s form…

I don’t think too much about it, to be honest. Even if Sadio is not at his best, he is still a threat for the other team. He had probably the two biggest chances in Huddersfield and didn’t score – no problem; when you win 3-0, that’s absolutely no problem. You need to carry on and keep on going. I realise good moments of the players, or fantastic moments, or average moments, but it’s not that you can always change it immediately. You have to go through. You have to build on the good things and work on the not-so-good things.

Sadio on an average day is still a fantastic player, that’s the good news. So far this season he had interruptions through injuries and a red card. In the new situation, Mo Salah is in. They are best friends, they are not jealous, but everybody is watching what he is doing. Adapting to all these situations is how a team grows together. That’s what’s happening. We have the points we have so far with Sadio in the shape he was so far this season. We all know he can play better – let’s work on it.

On whether Liverpool can repeat their performance against Manchester City…

It would be cool if we could do that, it makes absolute sense. It’s the most similar game. Not exactly the same because Tottenham have a different style of play, but it’s similar. We play against one of the best teams in England, which means one of the best teams in the world, which means you have to put in your best performance. It’s a very, very interesting challenge again. I’ve said it a few times – I like games like this, when you know what the opponent is doing but they do it on that high a level that it’s quite difficult to deal with.

But there will not be plenty of surprises in the game from both teams. Do what you are good in, do what you plan and do it constantly again and again and again. For the other team that means to be ready to defend all these situations. Tottenham have to think a lot about our strength, we have to think a lot about their strength. It can be a game like it was against City, but it’s really rare that a game everybody expects so much about is such a fantastic football game. But from my point of view, don’t hesitate, do it again.