Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp warns title rivals Manchester City they face ‘tough’ trip to Burnley

Jurgen Klopp knows that without a little help or divine intervention, Liverpool’s incredible Premier League campaign will go unrewarded.

Manchester City’s 2-0 win at neighbours United on Wednesday night – their 11th win on the spin – saw them leapfrog the Reds to take a precious one-point lead into the final three games.

Many viewed it as the biggest banana skin left for City but Klopp is of a different mind. He knows the difficulties of a trip to Burnley, which is exactly what Pep Guardiola’s side face on Sunday.

If, as expected, Liverpool pick up the three points against relegated Huddersfield at Anfield tonight, the scenario will revert to what it has been in the last few weeks.

They will be two points clear but having played a game more than City, meaning nothing less than a victory would see City reassume their position at the top.

But the German knows there are more welcoming venues than Turf Moor to face Sean Dyche’s uncompromising outfit, who like nothing more than claiming the scalp of one of the Premier League’s big boys.

“Playing first gives us the chance to change the lead again and hopefully that will happen,” says Klopp.

“Is Burnley a place that I would love to have now on the schedule for us? No, honestly not. It is not a place where you think, ‘Oh nice, we are going to Burnley. Easy points.’

“It is a tough place to go and they are in a good momentum. They have an impressive game and they are used to that style of play. They have got 40 points now and that is good.

“The United game was not the last chance (for City to drop points) before the game. Why should it be the last chance after the game? If anybody thought that United, in this moment, are capable of hurting City, City are just too good for that.

“There is always hope until the last whistle of the last game. If you still believe, then welcome to my club. I am completely fine.

“I just want to play these three games and see what we get from them. I would love to have 97 points. If we have them then we played an outstanding season and whoever wants to say what about us, I couldn’t care less.”

Liverpool’s tremendous campaign has been reflected in the PFA Team of the Year in which they have four players – overall winner Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andy Robertson and Sadio Mane.

Klopp thinks it could have been more and although he is biased, he thinks everyone in his team was deserving of a spot.

“It’s easy,” he states. “I watch them most of the time and I really think what the boys did this year was incredible.

“It is pushing ourselves to the next level, adapting to the different situations, learning from the mistakes we made last year and this year.

“The boys deserved each of the 88 points they had so far and now we have to make sure we deserve the other nine as well. It will be difficult and others will not agree, but my team is the team of the year.”