Jurgen Klopp has urged Liverpool's players to strap in for the ultimate race as he accepted Pep Guardiola's challenge to fight for the title
Manchester City boss Guardiola stated his ambitions after his side beat Everton on Wednesday to reclaim top spot and many have seen this as last season's champions taking a significant step forward in their bid to retain the trophy
Klopp found himself in the spotlight following Monday's 1-1 draw at West Ham when he bickered with Manuel Pellegrini and then confronted referee Kevin Friend, which led the FA to ask for an explanation over comments he made to Sky
Ahead of his side's clash with Bournemouth, Liverpool's boss took the opportunity to clear the air
Klopp said: 'I don't see what they (critics) say they can see in our faces. When I talked to the referee after the game, they say, "Now he is nervous"
I am not. I knew this would be a really tough race and here we are. Make yourself ready
Fasten the seatbelts and let's go.'We are not blind to problems but it's not as serious as people make it
The psychology is that if we had won the past two games, (City) had drawn, and we had pulled level on 62 points, we would feel brilliant
'But obviously, people don't feel brilliant. Always in life people think about what we could have done
The only thing is that we prepare for the next day, for the next challenge, for the next game
And we will fight until the last match day.'Sir Kenny Dalglish gave Klopp his support on Friday
'He must be up for an Oscar as I've not seen (nerves),' he said.'He's been brilliant
I saw one of the City boys say they are stronger than us. Well, it's not a weightlifting competition, is it? We've done most things right
If we continue to do most things right, we'll be very happy.'Klopp is aware that the tone of the narrative around Liverpool has changed over the past fortnight but he is not flustered and is only concentrating on getting his team firing once more
'The funny thing about that is I didn't read it, I didn't watch it and I still know it!' he said
'You feel it, with the questions you get asked, the messages I get even from friends
Something obviously changed in their view, but it was always clear that it would happen
It's not important when it happens, it's that it can happen.'It's normal. It was kind of predictable, and if you want to be top of the table and a champion at the end of the season, you have to show in situations like that, and there are worse situations, real passion, real desire, you have to fight
You cannot come through with passing a little bit around, you have to go through
'I got a message this week, another sign that people think I need help — I don't need help, thank you very much, I'm fine! — in the last 10 games, City dropped 12 points and we dropped seven
I didn't know that. Is it interesting for me? Not really, but the view from outside is completely different
'Then it was something that City lost three outside the top six teams, we drew twice
That's the world outside, and we live in that world. I know that people are confronted with things like this, the players are too
The only tool we really have to sort our situation is football, passion, a proper fight, being aggressive in the most legal way
Be hard, put your foot in.'Meanwhile, Michael Owen believes the Anfield crowd will play a huge part in whether Liverpool can secure their first title since 1990
'I was at the Leicester game last week and I felt a nervousness (around the stadium) after about 15-20 minutes,' he told Sportsmail
'The fans are going to be so important on the run-in. Be as noisy as possible, get behind the team
'That helps players massively. If it's like that, Anfield could carry Liverpool to the title
If there is nervousness, you feel it as a player and you become scared of giving the ball away
You have to be free in your mind.'Another former Reds hero, Jason McAteer, added: 'These days, with social media, it is difficult to escape the pressure
The lads will say they are not talking or thinking about it but you can't help but do it
It's human nature. 'The manager is asked the question every week because results aren't quite going their way
It just all plays a part in the pantomime of the run-in.'
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