Monday 18 September 2017 19:03, UK
Jurgen Klopp insists strong starts to the season by Manchester United and Manchester City have not placed added pressure on Liverpool.
Liverpool were held to 1-1 draw by Burnley on Saturday, leaving them eighth in the Premier League table, five points behind the Manchester duo, who both won in emphatic fashion.
Liverpool's attention now turns to the Carabao Cup, where they face Leicester City in the third round on Tuesday night, live on Sky Sports Football.
It represents a good chance for the Reds to capture their first trophy since 2012 and it is one Klopp is keen to seize.
The German said: "I don't feel pressure, I feel opportunity. I feel the chance to do something really good. I see the opportunity to win a very, very interesting cup competition.
"I probably have pressure, yes, but it cannot be bigger than the pressure that I put on myself and I am used to that.
"I watch the games of United and City because it is interesting to see but it is not my job to count points in this moment and say 'okay, now they have this lead'. They are obviously in good shape at the moment.
"That is how it is but a season is sometimes like this. As long as you are really focused, as long as you are ready, as long as your attitude is 100 per cent, as long as you are greedy, you don't have to look at other teams.
"Only when you play against them then you have to look at them. All the rest you have no influence so ignore it."
Klopp is set to make changes to his team for the visit to the King Power Stadium, with Danny Ward set to start in goal, while Marko Grujic and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are also set to come into the side.
Oxlade-Chamberlain has yet to start since joining from Arsenal, though he was introduced as a 79th-minute substitute against Burnley, and Klopp admits he is trying gradually ease him in.
"We are working on it. We are obviously together with him and the analysts to show him how we want to play him in this position and in that position," Klopp said.
"So there is work to do but there is no rush. That is how it is but it is really good that he is here.
"Of course it is always better - and next year it will be like this - if a new player comes in for the [start of] the season at least, if not for the preseason. That would be even better.
"When the season starts, now we are really in this three-games-per-week rhythm and during the international break he was with the national team. So it is not easy and it takes time.
"But already at the weekend, he came on in a difficult situation and he did really well."
