Jurgen Klopp has dismissed any talk of his side becoming the dominant force in English football, saying the Premier League is simply too competitive for one side to take over.
Liverpool claimed their 19th league title last season and look on course for a 20th this time around - although it is far from the foregone conclusion it was this time a year ago. Roberto Firmino's bullet header put them three points clear of Spurs at the head of the division but there are a number of sides who can stake a genuine claim to the throne this season.
Klopp was speaking after winning FIFA's Best Men's Coach award. At the ceremony (conducted virtually because that's the way of things now) he saw four of his players; Alisson Becker, Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Thiago Alcantara; named in the FIFPro World XI for 2020.
'I'm really proud of the club' ?
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 17, 2020
Shocked at the result, delighted for his staff and wishing the club’s current good moment to continue for as long as possible ✊
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But he says another era of domination, like those enjoyed by Liverpool and Manchester United in the distant past, is simply off the cards.
"I don't think anybody will dominate English football – it's too difficult, 100 per cent," he told reporters ahead of Saturday's trip to Crystal Palace. "The league is too challenging, the calendar is too challenging.
"We all have to make sure we get through these crazy times at the moment and all the other times as well. We had four players in the best team of the world in the last year – one we had to sign from Bayern [Munich], which was smart business, I would say. We obviously have a good team.
"All the other players could have been in that team, as well, because of their ability, so you see we have a really good team here. What you always need in life is a little bit of luck, so you can win football games.
"The more football games you win, the closer you come to winning trophies. If you are in the final or whatever, then you have to make the final touch, that's it.
"But we don't plan world dominance for the next years. We just plan for the next game, which is in 40-something hours at Crystal Palace."
Source : 90min