Jurgen Klopp insisted a six-point lead atop the Premier League is no cause for celebration as he urged his Liverpool players to maintain “tunnel vision” in the title race.
The Reds seized on Manchester City’s 2-1 defeat at Leicester City by cruising to a commanding 4-0 victory over Newcastle United on Wednesday.
Pep Guardiola’s side have now lost two on the trot and are seven points adrift of the leaders, who had four individual scorers in their seventh successive league win.
Momentum in the battle to be crowned champions has swung significantly towards Merseyside, but Klopp believes his team’s cushion is of little consequence with a trip to Etihad Stadium on the horizon.
“That means nothing,” the German said of the two-game buffer to second-placed Tottenham.
“We play Arsenal and City [next]. Good that we have six points more than other teams but that is pretty much what we wanted to do all the time, create a basis for the rest of the season. Now the first part of the season is over.
“We want to create our own history. The numbers are good, it’s a good situation, but there are 19 games to go.
“So we play Arsenal, we play City, we play Tottenham, we play all the teams again. It’s very difficult, there is a very long way to go, we know that.
“I had no idea how any other team was playing, I didn’t even know where they were playing. Afterwards I got the results and I have to say it didn’t do a lot for me. It is just information.
“We have to win our games, we have to be focused, we have to be really in the mood and have tunnel vision and see where it will lead us.”
Dejan Lovren’s early opener and second-half goals from Mohamed Salah, Xherdan Shaqiri and Fabinho gave Liverpool fans plenty of reason to cheer at Anfield and there were jubilant scenes when news of City’s demise filtered through.
“I thought it was because of us! I’m really naive,” Klopp said. “I thought that is really nice, thank you very much! Then I heard after the game it was about another result.
“Obviously nobody told our crowd that Tottenham won 5-0 [against Bournemouth]. It is fine, atmosphere for Boxing Day, people coming from all over the world to watch.
“The atmosphere was really good and exceptional in that moment. But I thought it was because of us.”
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