Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has insisted that his side will need to have “tunnel vision” in the race for the Premier League title.
The Reds dispatched Newcastle United 4-0 at Anfield, whilst Man City faltered with a 2-1 defeat at Leicester City on Boxing Day.
Goals from Dejan Lovren, Mohamed Salah (pen), Xherdan Shaqiri and Fabinho saw Liverpool’s points total rise to 51 at the half-way mark of the Premier League.
Tottenham Hotspur beat Bournemouth 5-0 meaning City drop down to third after their loss, with Liverpool now having a seven point lead over Pep Guardiola’s side and six points over Spurs.
Speaking after Wednesday’s win, Klopp analysed the favourable situation his side are now in: “Yeah, but it means nothing. We play Arsenal and City [in our next two games], so it’s good that we have six or seven points more than other teams. But that’s pretty much all.
“What we wanted to do all the time [was] create a situation, a basis for the rest of the season and now the first part of the season is over.
“What we said as well is that we want to create our own history. We are the first Liverpool team in the Premier League to be unbeaten in 19 matches – a little history and a nice step.
“[We have] Conceded seven goals – all really, really good numbers. A good situation, that’s clear, but 19 games to go.
“We play City, we play Arsenal, we play Tottenham, we play all of them again and again and maybe in different competitions. So it’s very difficult, there’s a long way to go and we all know that.
“I had no idea how any other teams were playing, I didn’t even know where they were playing so afterwards I got the results and I can say it didn’t do a lot with me, if it did anything, to be honest.
“It’s just information. We have to win our games, we have to be focused, we need to be really in the mood with having tunnel vision. That’s really important and then we will see where it leads us.”
Liverpool face Arsenal in three days time, before the all-important clash against Man City at the Etihad on 3rd January.
