Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp embraces Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino during the Premier League match at Anfield, Liverpool. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Sunday February 4, 2018. See PA story SOCCER Liverpool. Photo credit should read: Peter Byrne/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: EDITORIAL USE ONLY No use with unauthorised audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications
Jurgen Klopp takes his Liverpool side to Stamford Bridge for their Premier League opener on Super Sunday; the game is Mauricio Pochettino’s first in charge of Chelsea; watch Chelsea vs Liverpool on Super Sunday, live on Sky Sports Premier League from 4pm; kick-off 4.30pm
Jurgen Klopp says he is excited about the potential of his new-look Liverpool side ahead of their Premier League opener against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Super Sunday.
Liverpool have so far signed both World Cup-winner Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton & Hove Albion for £55m and Dominik Szoboszlai from RB Leipzig for £60m, while they have also had a British-record £111m bid for Moises Caicedo accepted by Brighton.
This after a raft of players left Anfield this summer, including the likes of skipper Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita in what is the largest squad overhaul of the German’s time in charge of the club.
“We have a new start with this Liverpool FC reloaded – it’s an exciting thing,” said Klopp in his press conference ahead of his side’s trip to west London this weekend.
“People wanted changes because we’d been together for a long time. Did it happen at the right moment? That’s difficult to answer. But now it happened and that’s good.
“We have a new leadership group and if you look at the players not in that group then they also offer a lot, they are exceptional. Cody [Gakpo] is great, Dom [Szoboszlai] is 23 and the captain of Hungary, Macca [Alexis Mac Allister] is also outstanding.
“We all shape responsibility, let’s take that responsibility and see where we go. Don’t try to be like someone just be the best version of yourself.”
Liverpool endured a difficult campaign last time out, finishing fifth and outside the Champions League places for the first time under Klopp.
However, the Reds boss is predicting a better season this time.
“I’ve seen a lot of things [from the players] that make me think ‘we mean business’,” he said.
“They want to show up. We are looking forward to the Europa League draw, but we want to play in the Champions League. We want to compete.
“We have targets and the good feelings I have are based on what I saw during in pre-season.”
And while there have been question marks raised over some of Liverpool’s defending in pre-season, Klopp says it is his responsibility to ensure they are ready for the start of the campaign.
“I’m not sure if my optimism is based on last season, we’ve had a good pre-season, worked hard and I’ve enjoyed it a lot,” he said. “The boys were listening – ears and eyes were open.
“We really wanted to learn our game, not again, because it must be different to go to the next level. You probably saw the pre-season games where we were too open and the shouts are loud. It’s an organisation problem because we definitely have the quality and it’s my job to sort that out.”
Poch: Being a club in transition cannot be an excuse for Chelsea
Mauricio Pochettino says he accepts Chelsea are a club in transition, but that that status cannot be used as an excuse if things do not pan out as expected as the Premier League season progresses.
The Blues recorded their lowest finishing position since 1993/94 by finishing 12th last term, with Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter and Frank Lampard taking charge throughout a majorly disappointing campaign.
Speaking in his press conference at Stamford Bridge ahead of the Super Sunday opener against Liverpool, Pochettino said: “We are more in transition than Liverpool because I am new here and Klopp has been there for seven years.
“In seven years you can anticipate the transition and see what is going to come. You can be ahead of the problems.
“We are Chelsea. The history of the club is about winning. Even if we are in transition, everyone knows we cannot give the message that we are in transition – we need to win.
“We need to be ready to win and we are going to be ready to win against Liverpool, even if Liverpool is a really good team. The mentality of the players and the whole club is about competing in this way, to be strong and really believe in us and try to win.
“I’m not going to accept a different way to think. It’s not an excuse for us because we need to be strong.”
The Argentine went on to explained why he selected Reece James as the club’s new captain.
He said: “He is not only a player that can be a leader, but he is the present and he is going to be the future also. For me and for the club, he is a perfect player, the perfect person to be a captain.”
Pochettino – who managed Southampton between 2013 and 2014 and Tottenham between 2014 and 2019 – also spoke about his Premier League return.
“I feel really good,” he added. “I am so excited to come back to the Premier League. We have been so busy with pre-season, but I am so happy, so excited and I can’t wait to be here on Sunday and start the competition.”
