Jurgen Klopp insists he does not need a break from football following speculation the Liverpool manager could walk away from the club this week.
Liverpool have endured a torrid run of form in recent weeks with the Reds having won just twice in their past 10 league fixtures, Saturday’s 3-1 defeat at Leicester the champion’s third consecutive league loss.
Those results have all but ended Liverpool’s hopes of retaining the title with the club now 13 points adrift of Manchester City having played a game more, with Klopp having conceding that his side’s title hopes were over following the defeat at the King Power Stadium.
Liverpool will be looking to bounce back when they resume their Champions League campaign against RB Leipzig tomorrow evening, the Reds meeting last season’s semi-finalists in the first leg of their last-16 tie in the neutral venue of Budapest.
Klopp has opened up on the support he has received ahead of the clash following the death of his mother, with the Reds boss having been unable to attend the funeral amid Covid-19 travel restrictions.
A banner was erected outside of Anfield in support of the German and Klopp has revealed his appreciation for the ‘special support’, before quashing speculation he could leave his position by reiterating his focus on the ‘challenge’ of returning Liverpool to winning ways.
“The banner is nice, I don’t feel that I need special support but it is very nice,” Klopp told his pre-match press conference.
“I don’t need a break. The last thing I want to do is to talk about private things. Yes we have had a tough time but we always deal with this as a family 100%.
“And when I come here, I am 53, I’ve worked as a coach for 30 years and I can split off things. I don’t carry things around.
“Of course we are influenced by things, but no-one has to worry about me.
“The beard gets more and more grey, I don’t sleep a lot, but I‘m full of energy.
“Now we are in this situation I see it as a challenge.”
Klopp discussed his side’s form ahead of the clash and admits Liverpool are struggling without the ‘togetherness’ of supporters inside stadiums, but says his side will continue to ‘fight together’ as they bid to turn their season around.
“We do this for the people,” Klopp added. “I feel the responsibility so much when things don’t go well.
“The majority of our people are still, and maybe even more so, with us. It’s nice to see but I’d prefer to fight this with our people in the stadium.
“It’s not what you wish for as you can show real togetherness if the stadiums were full for the next 10 games.
“So we fight together, just in different places. Knowing about the support is great.”
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