We won't defend title, we will attack next one, says Klopp

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VIDEO SHOWS: LIVERPOOL MANAGER JUERGEN KLOPP NEWS CONFERENCE, EXTERIORS OF ANFIELD, A MURAL OF JUERGEN KLOPP, LIVERPOOL FANS CELEBRATING THE PREMIER LEAGUE TITLE, FILE FOOTAGE OF LIVERPOOL TRAINING

SHOWS:

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (JULY 1, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)

1. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LIVERPOOL MANAGER, JUERGEN KLOPP, SAYING:

"Yes, (Manchester) City will be strong next season, (Manchester) United will be strong next season, Chelsea will be strong next season. They all will be strong next season; only the three of them it's obvious City is just an outstanding team. United is in outstanding shape and Chelsea is in a really good shape and he (Chelsea manager Frank Lampard) is doing some interesting business, so that's clear. Tottenham will not sleep, Arsenal will not sleep, they'll come. Leicester will be there; so, there are a lot of teams. The thing is that we have to play obviously 38 games during a year and who wins most of them can win the league; that happened now for us the first time. So, we will not defend the title or whatever next year, we will attack the next one that will be difficult enough but we will have the same situation and the other teams, just have… yes. What we achieved last year, in this case last week, is something for the history books. The rest is just hard work and we will try to show that already on Thursday night, tomorrow night but it's difficult anyway because City is a super team, absolutely super team and we have to show that we're ready for that."

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (JUNE 25, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)

2. VARIOUS OF KENNY DALGLISH STAND AT ANFIELD STADIUM

3. SHANKLY GATES

4. CREST ON SHANKLY GATES

5. LIVERPOOL FLAG

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (JULY 1, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)

6. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LIVERPOOL MANAGER, JUERGEN KLOPP, SAYING:

"So, but nothing changed because I feel it now, it was one of the best moments in my life knowing, the second knowing that we are the champions of England but it's not that I have been constantly (reminding) myself now… I don't have to remind myself, that's not what carries me through the day. The last big week after we had two days where we tried to make sure that we got it now or that we understood now what happened around us, after that since then we plan Man City and with full focus. That doesn't mean that we beat them, we'll just be prepared and that's what we will be for next season as well. That's how it works. I don't know another way. If there is another way, maybe people will tell me but I've learned when you think you've reached the pinnacle you are already on the way down and we don't feel that, honestly. I can say 100% I don't feel finally satisfied. So, it's just another step; it's a big one, unbelievably big but not the thing, the only thing I want to talk to the boys about when I meet them in 20 years' time."

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (JUNE 25, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)

7. VARIOUS OF JUERGEN KLOPP MURAL

8. FANS CELEBRATING, ONE FAN KISSING THE CAMERA

9. FANS CELEBRATING

10. FANS

11. FAN WATCHING CELEBRATIONS

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (JULY 1, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)

12. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LIVERPOOL MANAGER, JUERGEN KLOPP, TALKING ABOUT RECEIVING A GUARD OF HONOUR WHEN THEY PLAY MANCHESTER CITY, SAYING:

"I'm not sure if I ever got one, not 100% sure but it's long ago that we won in Germany it's something that… three more match days to go. I don't know if it's a German tradition as well. But, yes it's and English tradition, a Premier League tradition so we take it, it's a nice gesture 100%. I wouldn't need it to be honest because we go there and want to play a football game and either way we want to win a football game and don't celebrate things that happened a week before or stuff like that but, again, it's nice. It's a nice gesture but that's it really much."

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (JUNE 26, 2020) (PAUL KALLEE GROVER - MUST ON-SCREEN COURTESY PAUL KALLEE GROVER, NO RESALE)

13. LIVERPOOL FANS AT THE CITY'S PIER HEAD, SOME HOLDING RED FLARES

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (JULY 1, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)

14. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LIVERPOOL MANAGER, JUERGEN KLOPP, TALKING ABOUT LIVERPOOL FANS WHO CELEBRATED IN THE CITY ON JUNE 28 SPARKING FEARS OF A SURGE IN COVID-19 CASES, SAYING:

"I hope, I hope so. I can say it again. So, it's a difficult time for all of us and I can really understand it the emotions were all over the place, I get that. It's not only about 30 years or whatever. Most of all, most of the supporters did what we all should have done; stayed at home, maybe in their back garden, front garden, back garden, in front of the door, whatever and they had their nice whatever… Whatever they could do together with their families and neighbours maybe but, yes, the pictures we saw from the city centre were obviously not what we wanted to see and that's what I say that the first time in my life because usually I love these pictures but this is not the time for it and that's what we have to make sure that will not happen again and I hope that the people listen, honestly."

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FEBRUARY 17, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)

15. LIVERPOOL PLAYERS JOGGING DURING WARM UP EXERCISES INCLUDING MO SALAH, SADIO MANE AND ROBERTO FIRMINO

16. KLOPP WATCHING TRAINING

17. PLAYERS SKIPPING DURING WARM UP

18. DEFENDER, VIRGIL VAN DIJK, DOING SQUATTING EXERCISES

19. SALAH PUSHING AGAINST TAKUMI MINAMINO

20. FIRMINO AT TRAINING

21. VARIOUS OF PLAYERS EXCHANGING PASSES DURING TRAINING

22. SALAH AT TRAINING

STORY: Juergen Klopp's Liverpool side will be the hunted rather than the hunters next season, but he says they will not be defending their Premier League title, rather attacking the next one.

Manchester City became the first Premier League team to win successive Premier League titles for a decade last season, proof of the competitive nature of England's top-flight.

Liverpool will be given a guard of honour by City's players when the top two sides meet at the Etihad on Thursday (July 2).

While accepting the gesture, Klopp knows City, together with the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea, will come back stronger next year to challenge Liverpool's superiority.

"We will not defend the title next year, we will attack the next one," the German told a virtual news conference on Wednesday (July 1).

"We feel we are in the middle of something not at the end of something. It will be the end of something when we finish our careers, that's the end of this period.

"When you think you have reached the pinnacle, you are already on the way down and we don't feel that. I don't feel finally satisfied, honestly. It's just another step, an unbelievably big one, but not the only thing I want to talk to the players about when we meet in 20 years' time."

Klopp's side lead the table by 23 points and could set a new record for a winning margin, surpassing the 19-point gap City enjoyed two seasons ago when they amassed a record 100 points.

Klopp also urged supporters not to spoil the work done in containing the coronavirus outbreak by gathering in large numbers to celebrate their title victory.

Liverpool's 30-year wait for their 19th English top-flight crown resulted in thousands of fans turning up at Anfield to celebrate.

Liverpool, Merseyside police and the City Council issued a joint statement condemning the "wholly unacceptable" behaviour after crowds gathered for a second night on Friday (June 26), sparking fears of a surge in COVID-19 cases.

(Production: Tim Hart)