Nobody wants to go through easily – Klopp ready for further Liverpool battles

Jurgen Klopp expects further difficulties as Liverpool try to clinch the Premier League title after edging West Ham in a thriller on Monday.

Liverpool came from 2-1 down to win 3-2 at Anfield, where Sadio Mane scored an 81st-minute winner to restore his side's 22-point lead at the top.

Klopp's men have won a record-equalling 18 straight Premier League games and are four victories away from a first league title in 30 years, with matches against Watford, Bournemouth, Everton and Crystal Palace to come in March.

The Liverpool manager knows further struggles await his side, who have won 26 of their 27 Premier League games this season.

"Could I have wished for a better position to go into these last 11 games? No, I would never have thought it's possible," Klopp told a news conference.

"But each one of them is really difficult and we respect that a lot. We don't expect one easy game, nobody wants to go through easily, we just have to be ready for work and for hardest work and we were that tonight as a unit, together with the crowd again.

"I really love that fact and I couldn't appreciate it more, it's really special."

While acknowledging Liverpool's incredible season, Klopp is keeping his players focused as they move closer to the title.

The German said his side must be prepared for another battle at Vicarage Road on Saturday.

"We all know that it's very special but in the moment we are really just in the situation and want to recover and want to prepare the next one because the next opponent is really waiting and wants to fight us," Klopp said.

"The whole stadium at Watford will go [after] us, it's completely normal, there will be a special atmosphere and we have to be 100 per cent ready.

"I saw the boys tonight, they are ready to fight, and as long as we are really ready to fight nobody should worry, but still a lot of work to do."