Jurgen Klopp says Liverpool’s focus will solely be on beating Crystal Palace this weekend, despite their Champions League clash with Man City looming.
Saturday’s trip to Selhurst Park has played second fiddle to Wednesday’s Champions League quarter-final first leg in terms of build-up, which is understandable given the magnitude of the tie.
The Premier League meeting with Palace is very important in its own right, however, with the top-four battle still a long way from being done and dusted.
Speaking at Melwood on Friday afternoon, Klopp insisted Liverpool would not take the Eagles for granted, and even threw in some praise for unpopular former Reds manager Roy Hodgson.
“We will play Palace with all we have, with all intensity and concentration,” Klopp told reporters.
“For a player or manager of Liverpool, the whole year is at least about qualifying for the Champions League.
“Both games are about qualification for the Champions League, one is for next year and one is for this year. They have the same importance, no difference for us.”
Speaking about Saturday’s game, the German added: “It will be difficult. I saw the 95 minutes against Man United. They are in a good shape, even though they’ve lost four of the last five matches.
“Roy [Hodgson] is doing a fantastic job there. It was the most difficult job to take with no points and no goals. It will be tough for us.
“They were unlucky with injuries earlier in the season. Wilfried Zaha is a fantastic player, and Mamadou Sakho and Ruben Loftus-Cheek were out.
“They could easily be higher in the table if these things hadn’t happened.”
Liverpool may have won on their last three trips to Selhurst Park in all competitions, but it is a testing ground to go to historically.
Klopp’s men have a major incentive ahead of the game, with victory taking them 10 points ahead of Chelsea, who host Tottenham on Sunday afternoon.
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