Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp refuses to fall into trap of seeing Tottenham as the 'Harry Kane team'

  • Liverpool take on Tottenham in the Premier League on Sunday at Wembley
  • Jurgen Klopp made it clear that he doesn't put their success down to one player
  • Man City boss Pep Guardiola indicated Spurs' success is based on Harry Kane

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp isn't falling into the Pep Guardiola trap of dismissing Tottenham as a 'Harry Kane team'.

Whether Guardiola's off-the-cuff remark was meant disrespectfully or not, Klopp made it clear ahead of the clash at Wembley that he doesn't put Mauricio Pochettino's success down to one player, or even the heralded front-three of Kane, Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen.

'Spurs have been title contenders for the last two years, why shouldn't they be this time?' said Klopp. 'They have Kane, Alli and Eriksen but with just three players you can do nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp isn't falling for the trap of dismissing Spurs as a 'Harry Kane team'

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp isn't falling for the trap of dismissing Spurs as a 'Harry Kane team'

Klopp made it clear that he doesn't put Mauricio Pochettino's success down to one player

Klopp made it clear that he doesn't put Mauricio Pochettino's success down to one player

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola indicated Spurs' success is all based on Kane

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola indicated Spurs' success is all based on Kane

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'In the world of centre-halves, it is quite difficult to find better than Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld and yet they still bought in the boy from Ajax (Davinson Sanchez).


'They brought in Ben Davies when Danny Rose was injured. They had Kieran Trippier for the right when Kyle Walker walked away to Manchester City.

'Eriksen is for sure one of the best Premier League players and who is behind? Moussa Sisssoko – we know his quality – and Son doesn't play all the time but always seems to decide games when he does. Dier can play centre-half or No 6. My God, they have great quality. That's a really good team. It is very difficult to find players better than the ones they already have.'

Kane has scored 11 goals for Spurs already this season despite drawing a blank in August an Pochettino was offended when Guardiola glibly called them 'the Harry Kane team'.

Liverpool's confidence was raised midweek by thrashing Maribor 7-0 in the Champions League

Liverpool's confidence was raised midweek by thrashing Maribor 7-0 in the Champions League

Klopp started his Liverpool career with a goalless draw away to Spurs but will want better luck at Wembley than he's enjoyed in the past, losing a Champions League and League Cup final there.

If praising Spurs to the hilt is a good ploy psychologically, he insists he is not down on his team, even though they are outside the top six compared to last season's fourth-place finish. The midweek 7-0 win in Maribor in the Champions League was a good confidence boost.

He said: 'We have improved since last season. Perhaps you can't see it too much in the Premier League results, but we are creating more chances, more moments. If we stay convinced about our way, and bring in consistency, we can have our best season. That is the next step.'

People are already writing off Liverpool's chances of a first title since 1990 largely because they have won only one of their last five league games and were hammered 5-0 by Manchester City. Key players Adam Lallana, Sadio Mane and Nathaniel Clyne are also injured.

However, Klopp feels to make verdicts in October is ridiculous as is the notion that Manchester City will be champions by 10 points. 'Nobody goes through this league like a warm knife through butter,' he said.