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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp famously promised on his arrival to turn “doubters into believers” but it is the players’ confidence in themselves which he thinks will be key in the title race.
Klopp’s side have lost just one league match this season, to rivals Manchester City, and in their previous game before the international break bounced back from a rare error by Virgil Van Dijk and goalkeeper Alisson Becker to win and regain top spot.
In such a tight race – Liverpool lead by two points having played one match more – there are likely to be a few more moments which could swing the advantage one way or the other but Klopp has every faith his squad will cope.
“It’s not the first time we scored a late goal, but it was massive and it felt really good,” he said.
“Learn from your own experience, that’s the best thing you can do in life. And if it works out once, then it’s easier to believe it will work out again. It doesn’t mean it will, but it is easier to believe.
“Their skills are similarly important, the attitude, character, very important too. But if you believe in something, it makes it more likely to happen, 100 per cent.
“The problem is, I’m pretty sure Manchester City believes as well so one will be disappointed at the end of the season.
“But let’s go for it. Nobody knows what will be on May 13, but we try everything to make it a big day for us.”
Liverpool have seven league matches remaining and face their biggest test at home to third-placed Tottenham on Sunday.
By then they could be behind City, who play at Fulham on Saturday lunchtime, but Klopp remains laid-back about the scenario.
“I’m OK, all good. I wanted to have this situation, and now we have it, it’s brilliant. Now we work,” he added.
DWWWDDWWDDDWWWDWWWWDWWWWDWWWWWWWDWWW@LFC have now gone 36 #PL matches unbeaten at Anfield, the joint-third longest in the competition's history pic.twitter.com/DFsCuGa2o9
— Premier League (@premierleague) March 10, 2019
“People think about our situation, ‘seven games and they have to win all of them because City will not lose’.
“But then we face Tottenham, so why should we give Tottenham an advantage and say ‘We have to win, you are happy with a point’?
“It’s an open game and we have to be really ready for that: not going nuts, accepting we will have problems in games, like we had at Fulham.
“These moments will be there, in the next seven games and hopefully in five Champions League games too. We have to sort them.
“If you expect not to have problems, then you will be really surprised. But if you know you will have some, then you are prepared for them.
“Let’s use the opportunities and fight for each yard on the pitch.
“The only period in the season without any interruptions is this one. Now it’s the final matches, so go for it.”
