Liverpool not getting carried away with Premier League top spot, insists Jurgen Klopp

Liverpool are not getting carried away after finally claiming top spot in the Premier League, Jurgen Klopp has insisted.

The Reds leapfrogged Manchester City at the summit on Saturday as they beat Bournemouth 4-0 and Pep Guardiola’s champions suffered defeat at Chelsea.

It is the first time since late September that Klopp’s men have led the English top-flight, but the manager isn’t reading too much into being ahead at this early stage.

And he insists he is only thinking of tomorrow’s crunch Champions League meeting with Napoli for now anyway.

“We will not change. For us, we know we at least can still read the calendar. It is December, not even Christmas. The season ends in May,” he said.

“We will not get carried away. We know how difficult it is. We are not the most experienced side but we know our way at least and that is exactly which way we will go all time; be prepared for the next game.

“The league is not too important in the moment because we play tomorrow night against Napoli. We were confident before the other games as well, in Napoli and especially before Belgrade and that didn’t help!

“We have to make sure we are ready. It’s a big task. Napoli did so well last season with Maurizio Sarri and then such an experienced manager as Carlo Ancelotti coming in.

“It is tough making changes after such a demanding coach as Sarri and keeping the players behind you. You can see the differences. They are doing really well in the league.

“We all know the results we need, and it is quite difficult. Napoli is good in possession, counter attack as well, typical Italian team good at defending. It’s a big challenge but if something special is possible, it is here and that’s why we should try it I think.”

Liverpool must win either 1-0 or by a two-goal margin or greater on Tuesday evening to secure a place in the knockout stages - a tricky scenario brought about by three away defeats in this competition.

But Klopp is happy that those results haven’t proved terminal, meaning a big opportunity awaits his side tomorrow night.

He added: “We knew it after the Napoli game, that was not good enough to get something. Belgrade was not better.

“Paris was an OK away game, in the Champions League you can lose against PSG in their stadium. We gave them a proper game but we lost it.

“So far at home we are good, but we have to be even better tomorrow night. I told the boys, I really think if nothing special happens with referee decisions or whatever, we get tomorrow night what we deserve. The only way to make sure of that is that we really perform in the two big parts of the game, defending and offensive ways.

“We caused the situation in a good way and in a bad way. The group is a hard one, that was clear when we got the draw. Now we have the chance still to go through, that is special after the campaign we played so far.

“Now we have to create a special atmosphere with the way we play, and we have to use the atmosphere as well. I am really looking forward to it. It is a big opportunity for us and we will try everything to put it right.”