Jurgen Klopp gave his Liverpool players a “mental reset” which led to this season’s epic Premier League title chase.
Liverpool have taken their shoot-out with Manchester City until the final day and a repeat of the 2018-19 season when Pep Guardiola’s men were crowned champions by a point. City have to beat Aston Villa at the Etihad on Sunday to win the title while Liverpool face Wolves at Anfield and will be hoping for a major upset.
But after being 14 points behind leaders City in January, Liverpool are refusing to give up especially after their remarkable run. Liverpool have won 15 and drawn three of their last 18 games to claw themselves back and make it one of the most thrilling races in Premier League history.
But it does come after Liverpool boss Klopp gathered his players together after a sticky spell around Christmas when they were hit by injuries, Covid and bad luck. Liverpool drew at Tottenham, lost at Leicester and were then held at Chelsea which was their worst spell of form this season. In fact, their season was in danger of slipping away as City raced clear at the top. It was then when Liverpool’s players gathered themselves together, decided to really “go for it” and see what was possible.
Now they could still win the quadruple, having won both domestic cup competitions, they are in the Champions League final and have taken the title race to the final day. Veteran midfielder James Milner insists they did their bit by winning at Southampton which now “keeps the pressure” on City. But Milner also explained the mentality behind their remarkable run of form since the turn of the year.
Milner said: “We must try and win our game. That’s all we can do and that is what we have been trying to do since January after being so far behind and we went for it again in January and had a mental reset if you like, and since then we have really pushed. They are an incredible team to go up against this season, and I think we have done ourselves proud this season but we have won again and tried to keep the pressure on Manchester City ahead of the weekend.
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“That was all that we could do, we have took it to the last game and we have done that. Like I say, it wasn’t going to be easy coming to Southampton, it was their last home game so we know they were going to come out looking for a result but we have managed to come here, get a result and keep the pressure on for Sunday.”
Liverpool boss Klopp admits he has been blown away by his players’ determination to keep going and has no regrets, even if every game in which they have dropped points is imprinted on his brain. Klopp said: “I have no idea what will happen on Sunday. It was game 18 in the second half of the season at Southampton. We won 15 and drew three. Against City we know we were lucky. That was not a good game. And against Tottenham and Chelsea (in December and January) was when we had our coronavirus outbreak.
“I love Tyler Morton, I love him, but he played No.6 at Tottenham. Think back on that! We were not in really good shape then. Other teams had problems but that was our problem. Then at Spurs, Robbo got a red card and Harry Kane didn’t. These things happen. But I am so proud of the boys and the way they have come back.”
