Klopp: We are in the lead, nothing else
Cape Town – Jurgen Klopp says Liverpool have to be at their best to finish the job against Manchester City in Tuesday night's Champions league quarter-final second leg.
Liverpool have a 3-0 advantage going into the clash at the Etihad, but Klopp has warned his side that they are only in the lead and nothing else.
After the defeat to Liverpool, City also lost to rivals Manchester United in the English Premier League over the weekend.
Klopp told Sky Sports: “I saw the game of City vs United at the weekend. It was one of the best first halves I ever saw. It was like a thunderstorm.
“Then, in the second half, after the first goal, one team gains rhythm, another team loses rhythm. The game changes.
“I cannot tell the boys: 'Boys! Score early!' Well, I can but I am not sure that it really helps.
“We have to think about football: what we have to do, where we have to do it. The boys knew after the (first) game this is half-time. We are in the lead, nothing else.”
Liverpool are also sweeting on the fitness of star player Mohamed Salah, who scored the first goal in last week's win over City.
Klopp added: "We are here to not concede and to score to win the game so that is the plan.
“It always helps if you know about the problems, you deal with the problems but if we concede a goal nothing changes. We are still in the lead.”
The Reds manager has also not forgotten that his side were thumped 5-0 the last time they were at the Etihad.
He added: “It is about doing the right things, staying in the mood where we can bring in our strengths, playing in the right spaces, defending in the right spaces; attacking them in the right spaces.
“We don't need that information. We have to be at our best but that is how it should be if you want to go to the semi-finals of the Champions League.”
Kick-off is at 20:45.