By Brian Bariyo Tumuramye
Liverpool chairman Tom Werner says he is having to “pinch himself” to believe the standards being set by Jurgen Klopp’s team this season.
The Reds have surged into a 22-point lead at the top of the Premier League, dropping only two points from their opening 25 games.
Liverpool have also reached the Champions League knockout stage, and the fifth round of the FA Cup.
“I am pinching myself, but we haven’t done the job yet,” said Werner.
“I keep saying to everyone I talk to that we really need to savour this because I appreciate the record we have achieved so far and I don’t think it is going to come along quickly again.”
Liverpool need six victories from their final 13 games to end their 30-year wait for a 19th league title.
Like Klopp, Werner is wary of getting ahead of himself, even if Pep Guardiola, manager of a Manchester City side that are a distant second, has already accepted defeat in his attempt to win three successive championships.
“The level of competition in this league is so great eventually you think you are going to have an off day,” said Werner. “But that hasn’t happened yet, which is a great compliment to Jurgen because obviously, the team is playing at peak talent every week.
“As Jurgen said, we haven’t done the job. We haven’t accomplished anything yet. There will be time to enjoy this even more at the end of the season.”
Klopp’s absence from the FA Cup win over Shrewsbury on Wednesday threw into sharp focus the increasing demands being placed on elite level players.
The Liverpool boss stayed away from Anfield in protest at the replay being staged during the Reds’ winter break from the Premier League.
“We all have to look at the calendar,” said Werner, after emerging from a three-hour Premier League shareholders’ meeting, which was attended by representatives of all 20 top-flight clubs.
“We are all concerned at the amount of stress we are putting on our players. It is a bigger issue and I am not competent to know what the solution is.”
