Jurgen Klopp wary of top-four pressure as Liverpool prepare for Premier League finale

By Mark Ashenden

Image: Jurgen Klopp trying to stay cool during a challenging two weeks

Jurgen Klopp is confident Liverpool can handle the pressure as their Champions League hopes come down to their last two games.

The Reds require two wins to guarantee playing in Europe's premier competition next season but anything less leaves them open to being caught by Arsenal or Manchester United.

Klopp is preparing his team for the visit to the Olympic Stadium for the Nissan Super Sunday clash at West Ham, live on Sky Sports 1.

Slaven Bilic's side have kept four clean sheets in their last five outings, meaning it is likely to be another tense affair.

"The pressure is coming at the end of the season, that's how it is," said Klopp.

Advertisement

"If you have no pressure you don't go for anything, that's the 100 per cent truth.

"We have this kind of pressure, that's the problem at the top of the table; all the competitors are really strong and they can all win football games, but we are strong also."

Also See:

Live Nissan Super Sunday

Klopp has stated that transfer targets who were only interested in Champions League football would be quickly dispensed with as he wanted players who had a more rounded view of what he was trying to build at Anfield.

However, he admits failing in their quest for a top-four finish would give rivals the upper hand in the summer window.

"It probably has influence, that's how it is," he added.

"The players we are talking to, because they are all good players, I know they have offers from other clubs (and) maybe they play Champions League or not, or whatever. It's important - how it is always important - for the club.

"Everybody knows it's a lot of money in the Champions League, it's not only the sports challenge, even though it's really exciting, it's also the money you can earn and as a football club we have to do this too."

This video is only available on Skysports.com.
Open to watch

But Klopp is wary of increasing the burden on his players as they attempt to get their Champions League qualification over the line having stumbled through the last couple of matches.

"Should I go to the players in the dressing room and say 'Boys, the better you play, the better the players are which take your places next year'? That makes absolutely no sense," he added.

"We all know about the situation and the players want to qualify, want to play in this fantastic tournament, as I want.

Dejan Lovren wants to spend the next few years winning silverware at Anfield

"The transfers we have to do around this. All the talks we had are very positive so far but that doesn't mean that all will work out.

"We have to give everything and then we have to see if we could convince the player or not or if there's anybody else who's nicer or whatever.

"That's the situation but it's not new, it's always like this and so I'm not surprised about it."

Grab a Sky Sports Month Pass for £25pm for 2 months and capture an unmissable summer of sport on NOW TV. More live football than ever before, the British & Irish Lions tour and much, much more…

Outbrain