Klopp on Brighton focus, momentum and Anfield record
Jürgen Klopp previewed Liverpool's final Premier League fixture of the season at a press conference at Melwood on Friday afternoon.
The Reds boss provided fitness updates on Adam Lallana, discussed Joe Gomez's absence for the run-in, and reflected on the maturing Trent Alexander-Arnold's hopes of an England call-up.
Read on to see what else Klopp had to say, including his thoughts on the threat posed by Sunday's opponents Brighton and Hove Albion and the fight for Champions League qualification.
On whether the momentum victory against Brighton would provide is as important as the three points...
Momentum, I’m not sure, it's about two weeks in between. A week was exactly what we needed so far, a few players [had] some problems and they needed time to recover from that. We still have two days - today and tomorrow - to use the time, but of course it should help us, there's no doubt about that. Actually, it would have been quite difficult to play during the week.
On the frustration of the battle for top four going to the final day...
It's still exciting. [There are] three games at the weekend, maybe four, where [teams are] going for big things and we are part of that. You cannot avoid that in the moment when it's already done and think, 'It would be nice [to be qualified]'. Frustration makes no sense, I'm not frustrated about that. I have a few moments where I'm frustrated about a few things but that's long ago and now we have the chance to play against Brighton. I saw the last two or three games and Brighton are just a good team, playing completely without pressure, so that's the situation. We have to take it like it is and make the best of it, like it always is.
On the possibility of an upset...
We need to be completely focused on that game. Yesterday, our LFC awards, a lot of people wished me luck for the [Champions League final] on May 26 and maybe two or three people said, 'Good luck on Sunday'. Again, next challenge, that’s it. The boys face so many challenges, we face so many challenges, and we need to show it again. It's the last game of the Premier League season so it’s a big one. I think there were plenty of moments where everybody could be really happy, proud, whatever of this team, being a supporter of this club. [There have been] fantastic seconds, minutes, hours around the team and, on Sunday, we have to deliver again - all of us. I asked a few times but it's not a farewell thing on Sunday, it's a proper competition against a strong football team. Having no pressure can be quite positive, actually. That’s the situation we face. A lot of things can happen in football but we will be there as well, we will have 11 players and we will try everything to make sure that next year we play in the Champions League again.
On the reasons behind this season's unbeaten run at Anfield in the Premier League...
Character, mentality, togetherness. We really enjoy working together, the boys enjoy working together, the mood in the dressing room. Everything is how it should be. It's so far not the most successful in the history of football but it's quite successful in a difficult league with wonderful football involved - that's cool, really cool. It's all about the boys, how they pick up information, how they turn it into a performance, how they use the things we do in training and how they enjoy the work together. On the pitch, the plan is - at least most of the time - really clear and they really believe in that and try to deliver again. It's only another big step to go, that's all.