Jurgen Klopp: It’s unthinkable for Liverpool to be 20 points ahead of Manchester City

With the defending champions at their ruthless best, the German was asked whether he has contemplated the fact City could still mathematically catch the Merseysiders

Jurgen Klopp has not entertained the thought of Manchester City overhauling Liverpool’s 20-point advantage at the Premier League summit, instead underscoring what an achievement it is to have generated such a gap over an incredible team.

Pep Guardiola’s side have resumed the season in scintillating fashion, scorching Arsenal and Burnley by a combined 8-0 scoreline.

The division’s leaders, meanwhile, had to settle for a goalless Merseyside derby draw at Everton in their first fixture back, with five points required to end their three-decade wait for the title.

With the defending champions at their ruthless best despite rotating much of the starting line-up in Monday’s 5-0 victory over Burnley, Klopp was asked whether he has contemplated the fact City could still mathematically catch Liverpool.

“The only thing I realised when I watched the game last night was: How is it possible that anybody is 20 points ahead of this team? That’s pretty much unthinkable actually,” he pointed out.

“So we must have done obviously a couple of things really well and right that we can have this situation. I don’t think about City catching us, I think about Crystal Palace.

“If you make something bad of what I said, a headline like City cannot catch us or whatever, that’s complete b******s because that’s not what I’m saying.

“What I mean is I’m really only concerned by what we are doing and what we have to do in the next game.

“I watched them because we play them in eight or nine days, and not watching them to hope that they lose – it was never like this. Maybe I wanted them to lose last season against Leicester, but that didn’t work very well so that’s why I stopped doing that. That was one time and it didn’t help.

“I respect them a lot, I’ve said that plenty of times. They look like they will win all their remaining games because they are really strong, but they were always strong. We are not so bad so let’s think about that.”

Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson (Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Liverpool will face City next week after tackling Crystal Palace, but the venue for the game – originally scheduled to be at the Etihad – is still undecided.

That is due to change on Thursday, when Manchester City Council’s safety advisory group will meet to discuss any concerns.

For logistical reasons, Klopp is hoping the league’s blockbuster fixture is given the green light to go ahead at the Etihad.

“Honestly, I would prefer it is at Manchester, otherwise it would be really difficult to organise it,” the Liverpool manager said.

“I don’t know how it would be, but it would not be in Liverpool, so it would mean we both have to go somewhere where we both need a hotel. That is the only issue.

“Apart from that, we play where they send us to, but I would prefer it in Manchester. I don’t know about the process, I wait until the final information is confirmed whether it is Manchester or not. It would be a challenge for both clubs.”

Klopp stated he had no concerns over mass fan gatherings outside any games given the discipline that has already been on show during the coronavirus crisis.

“The whole period we are in showed that the massive majority of people really behaved responsibly and seriously and take this situation as it is,” he said.

“The discipline level is probably as high as never before, so I was not worried about that. I know football fans since I was five years old and 98 percent of them are completely fine and have the same view on life as I have and love similar things that I do.

“At this moment in time I was not worried about that and Sunday [no supporters turning up at the Merseyside derby] was a good example, 100 percent.”