Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is unconcerned his side have been installed as favourites to win the Premier League title.Sunday’s win over Brighton, allied to Manchester City’s goalless draw with Arsenal, took the Reds back to the top of the table with nine matches remaining.But with Liverpool just two points clear of Arsenal, and more games to come in midweek and at the weekend, Klopp is taking nothing for granted ahead of Thursday’s match at home to basement club Sheffield United.”The situation is, for us, Sheffield United, and not who is the favorite,” Klopp told a pre-match press conference on Wednesday.”I am pretty sure when we lost at Arsenal (on February 4) we were not favorites after that – maybe rightly so – but I don’t know and I don’t care,” added the German, who will leave Anfield at the end of the season.”One of the most important things to get through this period is to ignore the outside ‘mess’ as it goes up and down and is emotional.”We have to be professional – be emotional but in the right way – and be the best version of ourselves, play the best football we can play and then let’s see what the outcome is.”📊 G/A by Liverpool midfielders this season:Szoboszlai: 7⚽️ 5🎯Mac Allister: 5⚽️ 7🎯Elliott: 3⚽️ 8🎯Jones: 5⚽️ 3🎯Gravenberch: 3⚽️ 2🎯Endo: 2⚽️ 1🎯Clark: 1⚽️ 2🎯McConnell: 1🎯That’s a total of 55 goal contributions in all competitions. For reference, in the whole 22/23… pic.twitter.com/X9vE8IiGIX— Fede (@lfc_fede) April 3, 2024 City and Arsenal will both be in action on Wednesday but Klopp has no plans to watch either match.”I told you one story, years ago, I watched a game and wanted Leicester to win (against Manchester City in 2019) and it didn’t happen,” he said.”That was the last time that I did that. That’s when you learn from the past. When they play, my heart rate doesn’t go up.”We need to get our points in, win our football games.”Sheffield United have conceded 77 goals in 29 league matches so far this season and have a goal difference of minus 50 after managing just three wins.But Klopp said his focus would remain firmly on the Blades, rather than the seemingly more difficult task of trying to win away to Manchester United – who knocked Liverpool out of the FA Cup three weeks ago at Old Trafford – on Sunday.”If I would think now about Manchester United, our people (fans) would have a right to think I am already too long in the chair,” he said.”It makes no sense. You cannot win football games not respecting the opponent. I have no chance of influencing the Manchester United game at the moment… Sheffield United deserve our full respect, and they will get it.”Elsewhere, Raphael Varane and Jonny Evans could yet give Manchester United some welcome fitness news by returning to the Red Devils’ injury-hit defence against Chelsea on Thursday.Injuries have plagued United in an awkward second season for Dutch manager Erik ten Hag, with the side faltering in the Premier League and knocked out of Europe before Christmas.A lackluster 1-1 draw with Brentford, where Sweden international Victor Lindelof suffered a hamstring injury that is likely to sideline him for a month, left United sixth in the table, nine points adrift of fifth-placed Tottenham.Lisandro Martinez has suffered a calf problem in training while fellow defenders Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia are also sidelined.But United boss Ten Hag was optimistic Varane, who recently sounded the alarm about concussion in football, and Evans would be fit for Thursday’s match at Stamford Bridge.”No more issues – we don’t need (anymore)!” Ten Hag told a pre-match press conference on Wednesday. “On the frontline and in midfield we are OK, we have options there.”But in the backline, we have a lack of options, but the good thing is that Raphael Varane and Jonny Evans are back in training this afternoon. And Harry Maguire was already yesterday back in training.”Raphael Varane ✅Jonny Evans ✅Harry Maguire ✅Erik Ten Hag provides positive team news ahead of Manchester United’s clash with Chelsea 📝 pic.twitter.com/eVe4Kvu5lG— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) April 3, 2024 Ten Hag, questioned on why United had suffered so many muscle-related injuries this season, replied: “Yeah, we have an idea but we will work on that. I think internally we will deal with it.”He refused to elaborate further, saying only: “You can’t prevent. You see it’s not only us who’ve had this.”The standards of the Premier League from an intensity perspective are so high, the overload in the schedule, also international football is so huge.”We have all internationals in our squad and you see it’s not only us — (Manchester) City, Liverpool and Newcastle have the problems, so there are many other teams.”In this moment, especially the defending department but in the midfield and frontline the players are available.”ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE – MATCHDAY 31TuesdayNewcastle – Everton 1-1 (1-0)/Isak 15 – Calvert-Lewin 88 pen/Nott. Forest – Fulham 3-1 (3-0)/Hudson-Odoi 9, Wood 19, Gibbs-White 45+3 – Adarabioyo 49/Burnley – Wolverhampton 1-1 (1-1)/Larsen 37 – Nouri 45+3/Bournemouth – Crystal Palace 1-0 (0-0)/Kluivert 79/West Ham – Tottenham 1-1 (1-1)/Zouma 19 – Johnson 5/Wednesday21:30: (2.50) Brentford (3.60) Brighton (2.90)21:30: (1.12) Arsenal (10.0) Luton (16.0)22:15: (1.30) Man.City (5.80) Aston Villa (9.00)Thursday21:30: (1.10) Liverpool (11.0) Sheffield Utd (18.0)22:15: (2.10) Chelsea (3.70) Man.Utd. (3.60)***odds are subject to change***
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