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Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp admitted his side will have to win virtually all of their Premier League games to stand a chance of winning the title after a 6-0 hammering of Leeds United.
Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane both hit doubles against Marcelo Bielsa’s strugglers, while central defenders Joel Matip and Virgil van Dijk joined them on the scoreboard as the Reds moved to within three points of leaders Manchester City.
The gap between the Premier League’s top two is now at its shortest since Christmas Day, when it also stood at three points, while Liverpool are unbeaten in 26 home matches in all competitions.
However, speaking to BBC Sport after the win, Klopp was keen to stress that the Reds will have to be near-perfect in order to push City close, and shifted his attention to Sunday’s EFL Cup final against Chelsea.
“We have 10 days until we play the next league game, and we have two games in between, in completely different competitions,” Klopp said.
“One is a final [against Chelsea] and the other a last 16 [the FA Cup fifth-round clash with Norwich City]. They will be different games, and we have to be ready for them.
“It [the gap] is three points until the weekend, and then City will probably win, and it will be six points.
“If we win all our games, pretty much, there will be a chance for us.
“For people outside [of the club], it is better to have a three or six-point gap than to have a 20 or 30-point gap, so it is more exciting, but we have to win a lot of games against difficult opponents, and that will be a tricky task.
“We will give it a try.”
With Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino sidelined through injury, Klopp was also keen to praise the contributions of Salah and Mane, who have now hit 30 Premier League goals between them this term.
“When you have a penalty, you want the right person on the spot to put them away,” Klopp said. That’s what Mo did and on top of that, he played a really good game.
“Sadio’s game was one of his best, how he interpreted his role, playing in the centre. How he got away from his opponent, how he opened gaps for us like that, he was absolutely insane.
“In the end, it was a top game. We’re obviously in really good shape, and it was a top night at Anfield.”
Remarkably, Liverpool players now occupy the top three positions for both Premier League goals and assists this season.
Salah (19), Jota (12), and Mane (11) lead the league for goals, while Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold (both 10), and Andrew Robertson (9) are the three players to have recorded the most assists.
