LONDON – Liverpool boss Juergen Klopp says his club's fans can
sing whatever they want about winning the Premier League title as the
German refuses to lose focus on Saturday's game with Southampton at
Anfield.
The runaway league leaders extended their gap at the top to 19 points
with a 2-0 win at West Ham on Wednesday and Klopp left the field
hearing fans chant "we're going to win the league!"
That could be extended to 22 points as second-placed current
champions Manchester City play Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
Liverpool are now unbeaten on 70 points and a further 24 from the
remaining 14 games would see them as champions, but Klopp will only
acknowledge the feat when it is achieved.
"Singing it doesn't mean you are it," said Klopp when asked about the
fan's anticipation of capturing a first league title in 30 years.
"Yes we have 70 points, an incredible number, but so many things can
happen. We don't feel as though anything is done, I promise you. We
take a deep breath and then Saturday it's Southampton.
"Southampton are in fantastic shape and have had a week to prepare so
we will have to be ready for the next challenge."
In Sunday's clash with Spurs, City manager Pep Guardiola says he is
expecting a very fast-paced, high intensity game.
"Son (Heung-Min) and Lucas Moura are incredible fast," said
Guardiola. "I want to send a message to my players and that will be
attack, attack, attack. All the players have the mentality to attack
and be creative."
Frank Lampard's Chelsea sit fourth in the Champions League
qualification places with 40 points, six ahead of Manchester United.
They play third-place Leicester City, who have 48 points, in
Saturday's lunchtime kick-off and Lampard is keen for them to chase
Leicester's third spot down.
"We'll push on every front," said Lampard.
"The position we're in, we need to push on all levels and I like to
have a standard where we just have to try to play to win."
There will also be some key battles at the bottom end with Aston
Villa travelling to Bournemouth.
Bournemouth sit 18th on 23 points with Villa two places above on 25.
A win for Eddie Howe's Bournemouth, depending on other results from
their relegation rivals, would see them out of the three-team drop
zone.
Nabil Bentaleb could play his first league game for Newcastle after
signing on loan from Schalke, but he warns bottom side Norwich City
are 'dangerous.'
"Norwich play good football even though they are bottom of the
league," said Bentaleb. "We must be at our best and fight for the
points. We know, deep down, we have the quality ourselves to beat any
team in this league."
Relegation candidates Watford host Everton, Crystal Palace play
Sheffield United and Brighton travel to West Ham also on Saturday.
Wolverhampton Wanderers travel to Old Trafford to face Manchester
United on Saturday evening.
Nuno Espirito Santos' side are seventh on 34 points chasing a
European spot and defender Leander Dendoncker says confidence is
high.
"We believe we can go there and get a result, that's what we do
every game, and we will try to do it again," said the Belgian.
In Sunday's other kick-off, Burnley host Arsenal at Turf Moor.