
Jurgen Klopp warned Pep Guardiola and Manchester City that Liverpool apprehends they’ll challenge for domestic honours this season despite their Community Shield Cup defeat.
Manchester City claimed their first trophy of the English season with a 5-4 penalty shoot-out success at Wembley on Sunday when the ninety minutes terminated 1-1.
Raheem Sterling place City ahead against his former club throughout the first half of the encounter within which the Premier League champions were the dominant force.
Liverpool had the better head after the break, though, with Joel Matip deservedly heading them level and Mohamed Salah and Xherdan Shaqiri were very close to getting the winning goals.
Claudio Bravo kept them trapped and established himself as the hero within the shoot-out once he saved from Georginio Wijnaldum, permitting Gabriel Jesus to seal success.
Liverpool manager Klopp was inspired by his team’s efforts within the half, though, and believes they will push City for glory in the 2019-20 English season.
“It was a extremely smart performance, a strong one within the half,” he told BT Sport. “Both groups had an identical pre-season – I spoke to Kevin De Bruyne when the sport we tend to|and that we} each aforesaid we do not extremely apprehend wherever we square measure, however.
“In the primary [*fr1] we tend to might have adjusted higher, however, we tend to have possibilities additionally. within the half, we tend to modified many things, we tend to need it and, in the end, it had been a bit lucky. Congratulations to town.”
Guardiola’s facet finished simply some extent earlier than Liverpool at the highest of the table last term, and also the town boss felt this latest encounter highlighted simply however shut the 2 groups square measure.
“An unimaginable final from each side; no team will dominate for ninety minutes,” he said. “We had real smart moments, within the last quarter-hour we tend to were exhausted, and that they had possibilities to win the sport.
“It was a decent check for each team. It’s nice for the players to grasp what they’ll face this season. At this level, the distinction is nothing: one penalty, one point.
“The 1st title of the season is in our sights. within the half, they compete additional long balls and that we did not win the second balls. we tend to couldn’t manage it.”
While Sunday’s game suggests Liverpool is City’s clear challengers’ for the title race, Guardiola isn’t willing to discount the opposite prime sides from closing the gap.
“[Manchester] United are back, Arsenal, Tottenham, Chelsea…I don’t apprehend what’s going to happen,” he added.