Klopp and Liverpool ´not fussed´ about winning run with 30 matches to go

Jurgen Klopp is not concerned about maintaining Liverpool’s outstanding winning run, acknowledging it means little just eight games into the Premier League season.

The Reds have won 17 consecutive top-flight matches – one short of the all-time record – and moved eight points clear of Manchester City, who are yet to play this weekend, as they defeated Leicester City 2-1 at Anfield.

But with a long way to go still in Liverpool’s pursuit of a first league title since 1990, Klopp is instead focusing on each individual match in turn.

The Liverpool boss believes his players are doing likewise, recognising their effort in chasing a late victory after James Maddison equalised for Leicester following Sadio Mane’s opener.

Speaking at a news conference following James Milner’s 95th-minute penalty winner, Klopp said: “We respect the hard work we have to do. It’s so far, so good, but there are 30 games to come.

“We are not fussed really by the situation when people talk to us about the winning streak or whatever, not really.

“We are in a game, then you can see the boys today did not look for a second like a team who have won so many games they don’t have the desire anymore to win another one. They looked like they’d never won a game. I loved that.

THAT winning moment #LIVLEI pic.twitter.com/tjmFdFBJtC

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) October 5, 2019

“Then, in the stadium, the atmosphere was brilliant, at 1-1, everything was positive in the stadium – that’s so helpful. It was a really good performance all over from the Liverpool family.

“Now the boys travel literally all over the world [for the international break] and hopefully they come back healthy before we prepare for Manchester United.”

Klopp suggested Liverpool’s perfect start to the season had come by adopting a game-by-game approach, rather than worrying about the run ending as it almost did on Saturday.

“We don’t play for keeping the winning streak alive – we just want to win the football game,” he said. “You have to respect all the things, defend your opponent, blah, blah, blah.

“If winning eight games in a row was easy, a lot of teams would do it. It is not easy in this league, with all the opponents we have. It’s not easy, it’s really difficult.”