Jurgen Klopp: Liverpool title bid was only first step
- From the section Liverpool
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Liverpool "tried everything" to win the Premier League title but finishing second to Manchester City was "only the first step", says manager Jurgen Klopp.
The Reds beat Wolves 2-0 to finish on 97 points; the highest ever points tally for any runner-up in any of Europe's top five leagues.
"We wanted to write our own history and we did," Klopp told BBC Sport.
"The team made so many big steps in the last year. We made a much bigger jump development wise."
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The German added: "The boys pushed themselves to new levels, which I love, and that development and improvement is not finished. It is the first try. This team is one of the best that ever played for Liverpool; 100%.
"As long as Manchester City are around with their financial power, no team will pass them easily. We need to be very close to perfection to win the Premier League as long as this is the case."
The Reds, who last won the league in 1990, face Tottenham in the Champions League final on Saturday, 1 June.
Liverpool finished fourth last season, 25 points behind champions City, but the Reds pushed Pep Guardiola's side all the way this season, losing just once to finish one point behind them.
At one stage in the first half on Sunday they were winning and Brighton were beating Manchester City, which would have been enough to give the Reds the title - leading to a loud roar at Anfield.
City went on to win 4-1.
"It is difficult to prepare a team for a situation like that, we score and Brighton score," said Klopp. "It was a boost to a very good atmosphere. Going nuts. Wolves used it actually.
"Then it calmed down. It was clear when the atmosphere was not ecstatic anymore something had happened we didn't like at Brighton."
But Klopp, whose last major trophies were the 2012 German domestic double with Borussia Dortmund, is confident the Reds' title battle bodes well for the future.
"The team made so many big steps in the last year," he said. "The boys were all there from last season apart from [goalkeeper] Alisson.
"It's a very special season, a better season than I played with my team [Dortmund] when we were champions in Germany. But we cannot ignore one team were better.
"It's clear we were lucky in moments, like City were. We were unlucky against City but scored in the last second against Everton and late on against Newcastle - they could have been draws as well.
"The season is a very long, hard one. You have to deal with setbacks. We were always competitive. City got the points they have because we were there.
"They have 198 points in two years; that's special. We made such big steps. Always after a good year we lost key players [in the past] but we won't so we'll be there again."
'We tried everything to win those games'
Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson said they could not have done any more to win the title.
"No regrets," the midfielder said. "We have been outstanding all season and left everything out on the pitch.
"We have lost one game. People might talk about the draws but we tried everything to win those games. We gave everything over the whole season. City are a fantastic side and you take your hat off to them.
"Next season we give everything to win it."
Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk, the PFA player of the year, said: "It's a very special team and I am very proud to be part of it. We have a big final to come, we should be proud but congratulations to City and hopefully we can challenge them next year.
"We struggled a little bit today, we are human beings and it will be in your head, you cannot deny it. City have been outstanding but so are we.
"We are going to work hard again and hopefully try to do it."
Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold set up Sadio Mane's second goal.
"I'm gutted, it is a tough one to take but City proved they are one of the best teams in the world," the 20-year-old said. "We only lost one game and you expect to win the league, but it is what it is and we go again next year."
