Liverpool coach Juergen Klopp has said he does not
believe the English Premier League has lost his
competitive edge this season and anticipated a fierce
struggle when visiting Watford, who is in the
penultimate center tomorrow, Saturday.
Liverpool, set to break the record with 19 consecutive
Premier League wins at Watford, are leading the
competition 22 points from their nearest competitor.
After passing Norwich City and West Ham United, who
are threatened with relegation, by one goal difference in
the last two games, Klopp confirmed that the positions
in the table do not reflect the threats facing his team on
the field, indicating that the motivation at Watford will
be very strong.
Klopp told a news conference: “I do not need evidence to
prove the strength of competition in the league. Do not
imagine how Norwich and West Ham played against us
while they were in late positions.”
He added: “We must be at the height of readiness and be
prepared to fight. That is why I love my team because it
does not lose passion.”
He continued: “Watford is a really strong team,
especially physically, and everyone will realize how
much this match means to them.”
Klopp confirmed that Jordan Henderson, James Milner
and Sherdan Shakeri are close to returning to the squad
after recovering from injuries, but they will not be able
to play at the weekend.