Friday 11 May 2018 17:22, UK
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has urged his side to remain "completely focused" on their final league game against Brighton, and not be distracted by the upcoming Champions League final against Real Madrid.
Liverpool head into the final day still needing a win to guarantee Champions League football for next season, following a run of three games without a win in the Premier League.
Brighton travel to Anfield on Sunday, live on Sky Sports Main Event, having already secured their top-flight status for another season, but Klopp insists his side can take nothing for granted against the Seagulls as Liverpool look to seal a top-four spot for the second consecutive season.
"We need to be completely focused on that game, we will be," said Klopp.
"Yesterday I was at our LFC awards - good timing - and a lot of people wished me luck for the [final on the] 26th. Two or three people wished me luck for Sunday.
"It's all about the next challenge. It is the last game of the Premier League season, so it's a big one.
"There are plenty of moments when everybody could be really happy, proud of this team. But on Sunday we have to deliver again, all of us.
"It is not a farewell thing on Sunday, it is a proper competition against a strong team. Having no pressure can be quite positive. That is how it is. A lot things can happen in football."
Mohamed Salah was named Fans' Player and Players' Player of the Year at the Liverpool award ceremony on Thursday, before travelling down to London on a private jet to claim the Football Writers' Player of the Year in the capital.
Klopp admits the 356-mile round trip was far from ideal for the Egyptian ahead of the crucial game against the Seagulls.
"It is not perfect. As a manager I would have preferred if he had gone home after work, like we all did and relax on the sofa watching a movie, or going to bed," said Klopp.
"He was early in bed - we organised it as good as possible. It is nice to win an award but then you have to get picked out of the group and you have to say 'without the boys I couldn't have done it', and that's true.
"You want to be with your players. It is intense but positive, let's not forget. He deserved all of it and he's quite fine with it, [he's] pretty cool in managing all these requests and questions."
