KLOPP DELIGHTED BY LIVERPOOL DISPLAY
11 Dec 2018
Jurgen Klopp believes table-topping Liverpool’s impressive club record-equalling unbeaten Premier League run boils down to improved control.
Liverpool notched a 17th league match without defeat in Saturday’s 4-0 thumping of Bournemouth at Dean Court, where Mohamed Salah bagged a stunning hat-trick.
Liverpool now sit top of the Premier League, boasting the last remaining unbeaten streak after champions Manchester City lost 2-0 at Chelsea on Saturday night. Though they are not the favourites to win the title yet (Manchester City are still odds-on to retain their trophy), they have certainly closed the gap, and the gap between theirs title odds, as seen on sport betting sites across the web, and City’s has certainly narrowed.
Klopp’s men led 2-0 then 3-2 before capitulating to a 4-3 Premier League defeat at Bournemouth in December 2016 but the German coach hopes his players are now far more robust than that.
Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe branded Liverpool “stronger mentally, physically and tactically” now than two years hence, leaving Klopp hopeful of maintaining that ruthless streak.
Speaking about Liverpool’s dramatic 4-3 defeat at Dean Court two years ago, Klopp said, “I could probably draw for you the goals we conceded that day; we let Bournemouth come back into that game”.
“Unfortunately I cannot say that will never happen again but we are really more controlled in these situations now. It was a big step for us; very important”.
“Last year we were really flying and everything was brilliant, until we were not flying. The difference between flying and not flying was quick last year”.
Liverpool equaled the class of 2008’s 17-match league unbeaten run at Bournemouth, and could now eclipse that record by avoiding defeat against rivals Manchester United on December 16th.
Napoli boss Carlo Ancelotti insists his side will play on the front foot against Liverpool as they bid to secure a place in the last 16 of the Champions League, and do something special this season.
The Italians sit top of Group C, one point clear of second-place Paris St Germain and need just a point at Anfield to secure their progression.
It is a game Liverpool need to win to be sure of going through.