Melissa Reddy - Believe Us

How Jürgen Klopp transformed Liverpool into title winners

HarperNorth

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First published by HarperNorth in 2020

Copyright © Melissa Reddy 2020

Jacket design Steve Leard © HarperCollins Publishers Ltd 2020

Cover photograph © Laurence Griffiths / POOL / AFP

Melissa Reddy asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work

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Source ISBN: 9780008441951

Ebook Edition © November 2020 ISBN: 9780008441975

Version: 2020-11-24

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Contents

Cover

Title Page BELIEVE US How Jürgen Klopp transformed Liverpool into title winners

Copyright

Dedication

Premier League records Liverpool set or matched in 2019-2020 PREMIER LEAGUE RECORDS LIVERPOOL SET OR MATCHED IN 2019-20 1. Liverpool notched up a 25-point lead at the top of the table this season, the biggest ever gap in English top-flight history. 2. Liverpool achieved 24 consecutive Premier League home wins in the 2019-2020 season, beating Man City’s record of 20, achieved between 2011 and 2012. 3. Claiming the title with seven matches to spare, Liverpool bettered Manchester United’s earliest title win in 2000/01, and Man City’s in 2017/18 – both won the league with five games to spare. 4. With their 1-0 win at Tottenham Hotspur on 11 January 2020, Liverpool set a record of 104 points over 38 consecutive Premier League matches, beating the 102 achieved by Manchester City and Chelsea, ending in 2018 and 2005 respectively. Liverpool extended their record to 110 points from 38 matches (W36 D2 L0) after beating West Ham United 3-2 in February 2020. 5. The 3-1 victory at Brighton & Hove Albion on 8 July was the Reds’ 30th this season, and they achieved that mark in a Premier League record of 34 matches. 6. With 61 points from their opening 21 matches, Liverpool won the most points ever accumulated at that stage in any of Europe’s top five leagues. They went on to extend their record, winning their following six fixtures to rack up 79 points from their first 27 matches, before losing at Watford. 7. Liverpool’s 5-3 victory over Chelsea means they joined the Blues, Man Utd and Man City in winning 18 home matches in a Premier League season. 8. With the 3-1 victory in their final match at Newcastle United, Liverpool equalled the 32 victories claimed by Man City in 2017/18 and in 2018/19.

Jürgen Klopp’s records JÜRGEN KLOPP’S RECORDS 1. He reached 50 games in charge (in all competitions) in fewer days than any other Liverpool manager in history (217 days). 2. Klopp won 26 of his opening 50 league games — only Kenny Dalglish and Bill Shankly had a better win ratio. 3. He was unbeaten in his first 6 games in all competitions — the longest run without defeat since Bob Paisley and the third longest ever at the helm of Liverpool as a football league club. 4. Liverpool took 48 league games to reach the milestone of 100 goals under the German. It was achieved in the joint fewest number of top-flight matches, shared with Kenny Dalglish in 1986. 5. Klopp’s first goalscorer as a Reds manager was also a German — Emre Can against Rubin Kazan in the Europa League in October 2015. 6. He became the first Liverpool manager in history ever to win his first 3 derby matches in charge. 7. His team took 197 games to record 400 goals — faster than any other Reds boss. 8. Liverpool accumulated 300 league points in 146 games — the fewest games required by any Reds boss to reach the landmark. 9. Klopp oversaw more victories ( 92 ) in his first 150 league games in charge than any other Liverpool manager in history. 10. In 2019 he became the 5th German coach to win the European Cup/Champions League after Dettmar Cramer, Jupp Heynckes, Ottmar Hitzfeld and Udo Lattek 11. He was the 1st manager ever to take an English team to three European finals in his first three seasons of European competition. 12. Games Liverpool came from behind to win under Klopp (all competitions): 2015-16 6 of 22 (27%) 2016-17 5 of 11 (45%) 2017-18 3 of 14 (21%) 2018-19 5 of 8 (63%) 2019-20 6 of 11 (55%)

1. A Club Divided

2. The Perfect Fit

3. A Change In Psychology

4. Method Over Money

5. Strengthening Off The Pitch

6. Reawakening The Fanbase

7. Lose Big To Win Big

8. Mentality Monsters

9. ‘500 Different Ways’ To Win

10. An Unprecedented Season

11. Leaving a Legacy

Picture Section

Acknowledgments

About the Publisher

1.Liverpool notched up a 25-point lead at the top of the table this season, the biggest ever gap in English top-flight history.

2.Liverpool achieved 24 consecutive Premier League home wins in the 2019-2020 season, beating Man City’s record of 20, achieved between 2011 and 2012.

3.Claiming the title with seven matches to spare, Liverpool bettered Manchester United’s earliest title win in 2000/01, and Man City’s in 2017/18 – both won the league with five games to spare.

4.With their 1-0 win at Tottenham Hotspur on 11 January 2020, Liverpool set a record of 104 points over 38 consecutive Premier League matches, beating the 102 achieved by Manchester City and Chelsea, ending in 2018 and 2005 respectively. Liverpool extended their record to 110 points from 38 matches (W36 D2 L0) after beating West Ham United 3-2 in February 2020.