Friday 19 July 2019 08:34, UK
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp insists he is "completely focused" on his own team and not the pre-season preparations of rivals Manchester City.
The Reds missed out on the Premier League title by just a single point last season with City instead crowned champions on the final day.
The two teams are expected to challenge each other again and while Klopp believes City are favourites to win a third successive title, he insists his only ambitions are based on improving his own team.
Speaking on the club's pre-season tour of the United States, Klopp said: "I am completely focused on Liverpool. Completely.
"It would be great if we could be around Man City again because that's the only possibility to have to pass them. It is already clear they are the big favourite again. No problem with that.
"They have a very good situation, which they showed last year especially after having 100 points in the season before - the greed they showed, the determination they showed, it was just impressive.
"I don't think they would have had 98 points if we wouldn't have been around - and we would not have had 97 points if Man City wouldn't have been around.
"We chased each other through the season, put each other under pressure and that led to that."
Liverpool finished 25 points clear of third-placed Chelsea last season but Klopp expects the rest of the Premier League to cut the gap.
"All the teams will start again: there is no duel with City and Liverpool and all the rest are watching us," the German added. "That's not how the Premier League is, all of these games are so difficult to play.
"You see what Manchester United are doing in the transfer market, or probably will do; Arsenal want to strengthen; Chelsea have their situation but bring all the young boys, all the players on loan, back.
"If a team is not really influenced by a transfer ban, then it is Man City because they have the players and they will be strong as well.
"Everton, probably nobody wants to hear that here, but they - year in, year out - really strengthen the squad. [They've made] good signings again [and] they had a good team already last year.
"There are a lot of jobs to do and that's what we have to be concerned about - not how we can beat City. That's not the only thing we have to do because there are a lot of other things."
