Liverpool ‘ambitious like hell’ for Premier League title: Klopp

Jurgen Klopp says his Liverpool players are “ambitious like hell” to win the Premier League, backing them to bounce back from their thumping at Barcelona and keep the title race alive against Newcastle. Liverpool travel to face the St James’ Park side managed by former Reds boss Rafael Benitez a point behind Premier League leaders Manchester City with two matches to go.Victory today would see Liverpool go back to the top of the table and ramp up the pressure on City ahead of the reigning champions’ home match against Leicester on Monday. The German manager told reporters at his pre-match press conference yesterday he was expecting a tough game against Newcastle, who are safe from relegation.But he said his players had proved their ability to perform under pressure all season, amassing 91 points so far with just a single defeat in the Premier League. “The boys are completely on fire,” he said. “When you are in the race and you see you can win it, you don’t get tired, that’s how it is. We are ambitious like hell. We want to (win) but we still know it’s not 100% in our hands but the only thing we can do is to beat Newcastle and that is unbelievably difficult.”Klopp reiterated that a mature away performance in the Champions League was not reflected in the 3-0 scoreline at Camp Nou. And he insisted that his players were in a positive mood and had the mental strength to recover as they look to win Liverpool’s first English title of the Premier League since 1990.“It’s no problem, of course we have to prove it again tomorrow, but we didn’t have to pick up players in Barcelona and give them a hug,” he said. “It doesn’t happen too often, honestly, that I lose 3-0 and have much more positive thoughts about the game than negative, but it was in this game. When we flew home it was all OK, the boys were already (focused) on the Newcastle game 100%,” the German boss added.“The boys have had 20 hours to recover, now we will have one session and try to prepare them for Newcastle, which is important because it will be a different game obviously, but it’s not new for us.”Klopp revealed however that Naby Keita would miss the rest of the season with an adductor injury that is set to sideline the Guinea international midfielder for around eight weeks, putting his participation in the Africa Cup of Nations in jeopardy. Keita limped off midway through the first half in Barcelona. “Bad news, he has a high-grade adductor injury,” said Klopp. “The tendon is ruptured, which keeps him out for at least two months. Bad news for us obviously, but bad news for Guinea as well because the Africa Cup of Nations is coming up.”The race for the remaining two slots in the Premier League top four, which gives entry to next season’s Champions League, is the one nobody apparently wants to win. None of the challengers managed a win last weekend, meaning Tottenham still lead the way on 70 points, two head of Chelsea.Arsenal, who have lost their past three league games, are on 66 points, with Manchester United, still in the race despite a woeful run of form, a further point behind. Europa League Fifth and sixth spot offers the consolation of Europa League football, but so too could seventh if City beat Watford in the FA Cup final next month.Wolves are in the driving seat to be the best of the rest outside the top six in their first season back in the top flight with 54 points, three ahead of Leicester and four clear of Everton and Watford. Relegation Fulham and Huddersfield have already fallen through the relegation trap door and Cardiff could join them this weekend.Neil Warnock’s side are on 31 points, four adrift of Brighton in 17th spot and with a significantly poorer goal difference. However, the Seagulls have to face Arsenal and Manchester City in their final two games, offering Warnock hope.Fixtures (1400 GMT unless stated)Today: Bournemouth v Tottenham (1130), West Ham v Southampton, Wolves v Fulham, Cardiff v Crystal Palace (1630), Newcastle v Liverpool (1845)Tomorrow: Chelsea v Watford (1300), Huddersfield v Manchester United (1300), Arsenal v Brighton (1530)On Monday: Manchester City v Leicester (1900)