DOHA, Dec 22, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Liverpool have made winning trophies a habit
in 2019 and Jurgen Klopp’s side return to England and to their push for the
Premier League title galvanised after being crowned world champions in Qatar
on Saturday.
It is an honour the Anfield side had never before claimed but which is now
theirs after Roberto Firmino’s extra-time goal secured a 1-0 victory over
Flamengo in a hard-fought Club World Cup final in Doha.
The latest piece of silverware is Liverpool’s third in little over six
months, after they won the Champions League in June and began this season by
winning the UEFA Supercup on penalties against Chelsea.
“The year 2019 for the club has been outstanding,” said defender Virgil van
Dijk.
“But we shouldn’t be satisfied with it. We should keep going, keep striving
for more, and keep wanting more trophies.”
Van Dijk returned against Flamengo after illness kept him out of the 2-1
semi-final victory against Monterrey and that determination to be back
playing summed up Liverpool’s attitude towards the competition.
The Club World Cup is not held in the highest regard in Europe, coming in
the middle of a busy club season.
That is in contrast to South America, with Flamengo’s huge support in Doha
showing just how much Saturday’s game meant to them.
“It might have been different had we got beat, then maybe some people would
have said we were wasting our time or whatever,” acknowledged Andy Robertson.
“But for us even if we did lose it was all worthwhile because we had a
chance to win a trophy that the club had never won before.”
He added that “2019 has been incredible, we have won three trophies and
hopefully in 2020 there is a couple more for us.”
Liverpool will continue their defence of the Champions League with a last-
16 tie against Atletico Madrid in February, and host local rivals Everton in
the FA Cup third round on January 5.
However, the Premier League is the one they really have in their sights as
they seek a first English title since 1990.
– Leicester beaten –
As well as the trophies in 2019, Klopp’s team have not lost a league game
since their very first outing of the year, at Manchester City. They have won
25 and drawn one of their last 26 in the Premier League.
There was more good news for them on Saturday as nearest rivals Leicester
City lost 3-1 at Manchester City, leaving Liverpool 10 points clear at the
top with a game in hand.
Klopp’s squad have little time for celebrations, however, as they return to
England to prepare to visit Leicester on Thursday.
But while a week in Qatar might have seemed like an unwanted distraction
for some in a busy schedule, Klopp was keen to point out that his team have
still played the same number of games as their challengers.
“If we hadn’t played here tonight we would have played at West Ham, so the
same number of games, the same situation, and the difference is the climate,
even if it was not as warm as probably Europeans would have expected at the
moment,” said the German.
“It is still something we have to adapt to. But that is the only thing that
is special, so it’s all good, and we need to make sure that we come home
safely, and recover in the plane already, and then prepare the Leicester
game.”
With several players already out, however, the downside was seeing Alex
Oxlade-Chamberlain go off hurt in the second half against Flamengo, and the
midfielder may be set for another spell on the sidelines.
“When he was landing he got a kick and rolled over. It is far away from
being perfect, but we will see if the ligament is only stretched, or ruptured
partly,” Klopp said.
“It’s a big shadow again but that’s how it is in contact sport.”