LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Even Jürgen Klopp cannot quite believe Liverpool’s lead over Manchester City this early in the season.
“That’s crazy, nine points,” the Liverpool manager said. “You cannot imagine that something like this can happen.”
It’s very real after Liverpool beat City 3-1 on Sunday thanks to goals from Fabinho, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane at Anfield.
“Other people 100% said already that from now on Liverpool can only lose it,” Klopp said. “Well that’s a very negative approach, but you can see it like this. We don’t care.”
Only 12 games have been played, with another 26 to go in the pursuit of a first title since 1990 for the 18-time English champions.
Klopp is not getting carried away despite Liverpool’s top spot.
“But it’s not important because who wants to be first in early November,” Klopp said. “You want to be first in May.”
For the past two seasons that position has been held by City. Now the two-time defending champions head into the international break down in fourth place.
The side immediately above them is not so unexpected, even if Chelsea’s ability to reinforce the squad was hampered by a transfer ban. But it’s the presence of Leicester in second place, reviving memories of its incredible 5,000-1 shot title win in 2016, that is shaking up the league.
It leaves the record 20-time champions far from sight of the Champions League places, even after Manchester United beat Brighton 3-1 on Sunday.
United is nine points adrift of neighbor City in seventh place. Wolverhampton is only behind United on goal difference after beating Aston Villa 2-1 in a central England derby on Sunday.
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