Jurgen Klopp says Liverpool cannot carry history on their backs

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Liverpool are currently top of the Premier League, but they have not won a league title since 1990.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has said the side cannot carry history on their backs this season or compare themselves to sides from years gone by, he told the club’s official website.

The Reds went to the top of the Premier League on Sunday thanks to a 6-1 win over Watford at Anfield. They are a point clear of Chelsea, and two points clear of Arsenal and Manchester City after 11 games.

Their current position, helped by positive results against some of the sides tipped for the title, has many talking of a serious challenge for the top prize this season.

Klopp told liverpoolfc.com: “It’s a really good moment and I know that everybody compares with the past, especially at Liverpool. Three years ago, 10, five, 25 years ago – but this team is new, we are new. Our story started a few months ago so you cannot compare us with anyone else.

“You cannot carry the history on our backs, we should feel free for creating something in the near future.

“If everybody wants to say ‘we wait now for 20-something years for silverware’ or whatever, we can say ‘OK, we [have] tried, actually, only since a year!’. So that gives us the freedom to look in the future quite optimistically.”

Klopp is clearly trying to relieve the burden from his players. Liverpool fans are desperate to see their side lift the league title again, having not done so since 1990 when it was a regular occurrence.

If Liverpool are in the thick of the title race come the business end of the season there will be plenty of excitement around the club. The most recent generation of Liverpool fans has probably seen them win every other prize but never seen them become champions.

It is a clever move from Klopp. Neither he nor the players he manages are to blame for Liverpool’s long drought. They can only focus on the here and now. It seems he is not only looking to try to be successful this season, but beyond that as well.