Lifting the EPL trophy will be like Christmas, says Klopp

Jurgen Klopp said he felt like it was Christmas Eve on Tuesday as Liverpool count down the hours until they lift the Premier League trophy after a 30-year wait.

The Reds will lift the trophy on the Kop stand at Anfield after Wednesday’s clash against Chelsea.

“It’s like Christmas,” said the German manager. “If you know beforehand you have a certain present, there is still excitement. We are very excited about that. I never touched a Premier League trophy ever before, that will be special.”

The celebrations will take place without fans in the stadium due to the coronavirus pandemic and Klopp again urged supporters to stay at home after crowds gathered around Anfield and in Liverpool city centre following their title win last month.

Klopp is relieved his players will get the chance to celebrate inside the stadium because they did not seal the title on the pitch — Manchester City’s defeat at Chelsea ended the race.

“Everybody in the club worked so hard for it, so it should be in the stadium,” he said.

“From a professional basis (it will be) 100 percent one of the great days in my life to get our hands on this trophy that everyone was waiting so long for and two or three years ago nobody thought it would be possible for us.

“It’s a milestone, it’s a very important day but not the last one for us.”

Chelsea travel to Anfield in far greater need of the points as one win from their final two matches will secure Champions League football next season. The Blues have also been the first of the Premier League’s big clubs to spend in the transfer market to try and bridge the gap to Liverpool at the top of the table.

Timo Werner will join Chelsea next season despite interest from Liverpool in the German international before the outbreak of the illness, which forced Klopp to reevaluate his transfer plans.

“I’m completely happy with my squad,” Klopp said. “It’s not that we don’t want (to sign players), but we try to make right decisions.

“COVID came and changed the situation again. Not to the better for any business in the world but for football as well. It’s not that we can’t improve, we just do what is possible for us and what we are able to do, that’s all.

“We had to build this and that needed time. It’s not about spending, it’s about having the right team. We can buy if we have the money for it or the need for it. If one of these things is not there, we will not.”

Chelsea ‘a long way’ behind Liverpool, warns Lampard: Meanwhile, Chelsea manager Frank Lampard warned his side will have to make huge strides to challenge Liverpool for the Premier League title next year, despite already making big moves in the transfer market.

Lampard’s men travel to the champions on Wednesday hoping to get the win they need to guarantee Champions League football next season.

Liverpool’s form has tailed off since clinching a first title in 30 years last month, but Jurgen Klopp’s men remain 30 points ahead of Chelsea.

“A long way,” said Lampard when asked how far off his side from the consistent standards of Liverpool and Manchester City.

“We have to be realistic about that as a club, as do many of the other clubs, because themselves and Manchester City, particularly Liverpool this year, have shown an incredible consistency that only comes through hard work and time with fantastic players and fantastic coaching.

“We are at a different point in the curve. You are talking about probably the two best club teams in world football, up there with a couple of others in European football. The points don’t lie over the past few seasons. We are realistic but we have targets and we want to close that gap.”

Chelsea have already beaten Liverpool to the signing of German international forward Timo Werner and recruited Hakim Ziyech from Ajax.

The Blues are also reportedly leading the chase for Bayer Leverkusen’s Kai Havertz, who is valued at 90 million euros ($103 million, £82 million) by the Bundesliga club.

Any further business this summer will largely depend on Chelsea securing a return to the Champions League.

Lampard’s men hold a one-point lead over Leicester and Manchester United, who face each other on the final day of the season.

And the former England international admitted a top-four finish was his primary target for his first season in charge at Stamford Bridge.

“We have to say it was the number one goal at the start of the season because it is the competition that is in front of you,” added Lampard.

Agence France-Presse