An asterisk on Liverpool’s title? I had to Google the word, says Klopp – iNews

Jurgen Klopp does not need reminding just how special it would be to lead Liverpool to a first English league title in 30 years.

But throw in an unexpected enforced three-month break due to the coronavirus pandemic and Klopp recognises that this will always be remembered as a unique season, and will make his teams likely success all the better.

Given that all of Liverpools final nine matches will be played in soulless, empty stadiums has led some to question whether that will taint the Reds likely achievement, with the idea of an asterisk by their name to mark out this situation.

An idle moment in lockdown led the Liverpool manager to look up what asterisk means in English, as conversations swirled around over whether the season should be voided completely or decided on a points-per-game method.

But now football has resumed, with the Reds holding a whopping 22-point advantage over Manchester City, Klopp can concentrate on guiding his players over the line.

Usually I do not pay too much attention to what everyone is saying around us, he says. Now I have had a lot of time to read, and I heard and saw a lot.

I had to google the word asterisk. I only knew it from the Asterix comics!

But for me, 100%, this is the most difficult year and season to become champions. It is an interrupted season that has never happened before and whoever will become champions, it will be historical.

It is a year that we will never forget and hopefully never have again because I hope we find solutions for this stuff.

So give us an asterisk. Yes. Do it.

It is the most difficult season ever. The only difference is that there is quite a points gap between us and other teams.

But if you saw City playing the other night [beating Arsenal 3-0] and saw the bench where they changed five times and there was still no Leroy Sane on the pitch, you think wow, this is really impressive. That is our opponent.

That is why when they were having the discussions about the season, I felt quite tense. Now it is over and we are here.

Liverpool begin again away to Everton in Sunday nights Merseyside derby and require just two more victories to become Premier League champions.

It will be a trip across Stanley Park to Goodison like no-other for the Reds with the Gwladys Street unable to provide its usual raucous atmosphere for the home side, but it is football.

Although Klopp shudders at the idea of his team being almost there, and of it being a matter of time until the celebrations start.

We worked so hard for this and we want to get over the line somehow, admits the German.

Nobody has to tell us we are nearly there. I am not interested in nearly, or in close. I am interested in playing the best football we can.

We have no limits or comparisons to football behind closed doors. Is it possible to play great, run a lot and run more than other periods? I dont know but lets try.

It will be different in the stadium but it is our job to make it as special as possible, especially for the Liverpool supporters.

It is a very different climate in which Liverpool will resume their Premier League campaign with football at the centre of major social issues.

Marcus Rashford has forced the government into a U-turn over school meal vouchers during the summer holidays, while every shirt this weekend is adorned with Black Lives Matter on the back in place of players names in support of the movement for racial justice.

Never afraid to speak his mind on such issues, Klopp has full backing for this.

He adds: If football is a role model for anything in life, it is for equality. Everybody is exactly the same, wherever you come from. Its all about who you are, not which colour you have.

For us in football, it is completely natural and that is how it should be everywhere. Judge people only because of who they are and not because of other things.

It is so dumb, so unbelievably dumb, not to do it like this. It is really hard for me to even understand a little bit how it can be like this.

But it is like this and so we have to stand up or we have to kneel whatever we have to do we will do.

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An asterisk on Liverpool's title? I had to Google the word, says Klopp - iNews