Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane score twice as Liverpool return to top of Premier League table with win over Huddersfield
Saturday 27 April 2019 08:20, UK
Jurgen Klopp says Liverpool have already achieved what they set out this season: to make history.
Liverpool's 5-0 win over Huddersfield on Friday Night Football means they have accrued 91 points in the Premier League this season, their second-highest ever total in a single league season.
They are still second favourites to win the Premier League behind Manchester City, who go to Burnley on Super Sunday at 2.05pm on Sky Sports Premier League, knowing a win takes them back to the top by one point with two games remaining.
But Klopp says Liverpool cannot do much more to win the title and knows his side have given 100 per cent.
"OK, 91 points, it's crazy. In the end, we cannot do more than win these games and that's what we did so far and what we try to do again," said Klopp in his post-match press conference.
"Why should we think where City could slip or not? If we do, the job in these two (remaining) games and something happens in the other games, then we are there. If not, then we still did our best, our 100 per cent best and that's the only thing we can expect from us.
"It's like it is: if we can have 97 then let's go for it and then, we see. It's still history, we said we wanted to create our own history, that's what we try, that's what the boys did.
"These boys are outstanding, that's the reason why we are where we are, now let's carry on and we will see where it ends."
Friday saw the return of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who had been sidelined since suffering a knee injury in Liverpool's Champions League semi-final first leg against Roma on April 24, 2018.
He was named on the bench at Anfield and was introduced to a rapturous ovation from the Anfield crowd in the 73rd minute before nearly scoring shortly after coming on with a shot that was saved.
Klopp was delighted to see the 25-year-old return, but also urged caution over his minutes for the rest of the season, comparing him to Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne, whose season has been disrupted by injuries.
"It's so good. Seeing the smile after he missed the chance was nearly heartbreaking," Klopp told Sky Sports.
"He's such a wonderful person. He's a better person than player - imagine that! He's a really good player and as a guy he's outstanding. We're so happy for him.
"You saw with Kevin De Bruyne this year. What a player he is. But he came from a long injury and you bring him back because he trains good, but the intensity of the league is nearly too much with game after game after game. It's similar for Ox. We have to manage it really carefully.
"You see him in training and everyone's overly excited. Now he's back and we start using him from time to time, it was the perfect game for him."
Liverpool defender Andy Robertson said Oxlade-Chamberlain's introduction "gave everyone a lift".
"The whole stadium had a lift when he came on and we all found an extra gear," he told Sky Sports.
Asked if he thought City would slip up at Turf Moor, Klopp said: "I don't know if it will be Burnley, Leicester or Brighton. I have no clue what will happen. I really don't think about it. We have to do our job, win games and see what happens. I understand there is a lot of talk about but it doesn't really bother me.
"But 91 points [Liverpool's current total], it's incredible. It doesn't happen every year. It's special so far. The boys did everything they had to do to have a chance and we will see what happens."
These Liverpool players continue to hit new heights, but will they get the reward at the end of this relentless title race?
Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane both scored twice on FNF, leaving Sky Sports pundits Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville to wax lyrical about the pair...
Jamie Carragher: "What Salah has done here is put himself to a level where he is on that level behind the top two of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. The goals he's scored in the last two years, he's right in amongst it."
Gary Neville: "The front three for City are outstanding and you can't say a bad word about them, but I actually prefer this three. I wouldn't want to play against them."
