Liverpool

Jurgen Klopp plays down Liverpool expectations

By Barney Corkhill, Editor | 25 July 2018

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp warns the club's fans not to get too carried away ahead of the 2018-19 season, insisting that it will be every bit as hard as last term.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has warned the club's fans not to get too carried away ahead of the 2018-19 season.

The Reds have been tipped by many as the strongest challengers to Manchester City's Premier League crown following a string of impressive performances en route to the Champions League final last term.

Liverpool have also earned plaudits for their transfer business this summer, bringing in Fabinho, Naby Keita, Xherdan Shaqiri and Alisson Becker, but Klopp does not believe that the upcoming campaign will be any easier than last season.

"For me these last two weeks are the most important two weeks of the whole pre-season. My job is not to be excited. I realise the mood is really positive we played a [Champions League] final - we did not win it but it was still positive," he told LFC TV.

"Then we made the signings so from a fan point of view it is 'Business done. Now we have all of them how can it be worse?'. It is not allowed to think for one second it will be a little bit easier. We need to be ready for the big challenges, the big goals, we have to be this angry, aggressive, greedy team full of desire that wants to win each game.

"All the other teams have quality as well so we need to be ready for fights, not celebrating signings and stuff. I get it, it is only pre-season and people are happy - cool. To stay happy there is a lot of work ahead. We are in the middle of the process and they will not be finished for the first match day, of course not."

Liverpool's first match of the new Premier League season comes at home to West Ham United on August 12.