Jurgen Klopp hints at adopting new tactics for crucial Manchester City test

“It will be very hard for all the teams”. It may be early days yet with the season only just before the halfway stage but Chelsea‘s lead is likely to be increased by the time their two rivals clash as they host Stoke City at Stamford Bridge earlier today. “They are definitely title contenders”, he said.

Peter Crouch again levelled the scores with a strike from close range, but it was the Blues who had the last say as William bagged his second of the game, before Diego Costa made sure of the result with their fourth in the 85th minute. “There are a lot of games to play and you have to be patient and keep going”.

Chelsea look simply unstoppable right now.

Their previous best first half of the season came under Rafa Benitez in 2008/09, when they had taken 42 points from their first 19 games, eventually finishing the season in second, with 86 points.

The 26-year-old midfielder has been one of the standout performers for the Reds this season, starting every single Premier League match so far. That makes life not easier for us – but we knew it before.

Getting on the front foot early and staying there will be the mantra for both teams and with Liverpool and City boasting of world-class attacks, it promises to be a humdinger of Premier League match.

City will be boosted by the return of Sergio Aguero from suspension, but even then they may not possess the attacking might to go toe-to-toe with a Liverpool side whose willingness to flood forward is reflected by the fact that they scored 48 goals last year but have plundered 86 this year. “We can not look at Chelsea, they are unbelievably strong with 13 wins in a row”. Ultimately, however, they got the job done to make it three successive wins for a side who appeared to be slipping into full-crisis mode when they lost 4-2 amid a shower of shambolic defending at Leicester on December 10th.

“But can you imagine how annoying it is when you win 13 games in a row and there is one team only six points behind?” It will be really hard for both teams but I’m really looking forward to it.

“It is completely not important, what happens in this moment, apart from that we win games”. I am not interested too much in giving things a name, but you can see on the pitch he is an influential manager.

Adam Lallana drifted in from the left and his floated cross was met by Wijnaldum, whose perfectly-timed run allowed him to tower over Aleksandar Kolarov and plant a header past Claudio Bravo.

City did threaten, however, when Aguero’s low drive brought a first save of the night out of Mignolet before David Silva danced into a striking position on the edge of the area, but slid wide of the target. Daniel Sturridge and Divock Origi on the bench. “I heard Pep Guardiola was here in the stadium tonight (Tuesday)”, Liverpool boss Klopp told British media.

“Of course he has talent, he has to read a little bit more – when to play one or two touches, when to go”.