Jurgen Klopp has got to solve a problem that Pep Guardiola has struggled with for years. It’s proven to be a classic and difficult one to solve.
“That’s the message that the manager drills into us on a daily basis: that nothing’s over yet, there’s still a long way to go,” said Trent Alexander-Arnold, per the official club site.
“We’re just over halfway through the season so it’s important for us to keep our heads, keep focused and keep our mentality the same. That’s what’s been working for us, so nothing should change.”
That’s the problem facing Klopp and Liverpool right now. How, when you’ve all-but wrapped up the league title in February, do you maintain your focus?
There are other trophies to fight for, after all. Liverpool are in the fifth round of the FA Cup and face a trip to Chelsea. They’ll also want to retain the Champions League – and they’ve certainly got the ability to do so.
But when you’re only playing a high-pressure match every couple of weeks, the team can lose momentum. That’s something Guardiola has had to deal with over the past seven years.
His Bayern Munich side would wrap up the Bundesliga title in record fashion and then falter in the Champions League. The same thing happened two years ago with Manchester City.
City travelled to Anfield but were lightyears away from Liverpool’s energy and drive. The Reds raced into a 3-0 lead and that was that. City just couldn’t cope with the change in gears.
Klopp will know that Guardiola is yet to find a solution to the problem, having not won the Champions League since 2011. But that’s the task now as Liverpool chase one of the greatest seasons in their history.
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