Klopp hits back at Guardiola comments: I don't know what situation he was in after Champions League exit...then Liverpool made the final

On Monday, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp rubbished Pep Guardiola's assertion that everyone in England wants Liverpool to win the Premier League ahead of Manchester City, suggesting the Citizens boss may have let his emotions get the better of him.

Klopp was speaking on Monday ahead of the Reds' trip to Aston Villa and understands the place Guardiola's comments come from, even if he disagrees entirely.

"I live in Liverpool so yes, here, a lot of people want us to win the league, that's true!" said Klopp.

"But even here it's probably only 50 per cent, because the other guys [Everton] were involved in another fight, at least until yesterday."

Klopp thinks Guardiola was speaking in the heat at the moment and concedes the same has happened to him, such as his recent comments about Antonio Conte's Spurs, which he regrets.

"But after a game like that... I don't know exactly what kind of situation Pep was in, but after getting knocked out of the Champions League, that's already difficult enough to take, but then of course Liverpool made it to the final," said Klopp.

"So of course you have these kind of things, "They played Villarreal and we played Real" and all these kind of things, and then you say what you say.

"And he's right, on top of it. I was right with fifth place and Tottenham still, and he was right that we've won the Premier League only once.

"I've no idea if the whole country is supporting us, that I don't know. It's not the feeling I get actually when we go to other places and play there, it's actually the opposite! But maybe he knows more about that than me."

Pep's comments

It was on Sunday that Guardiola made the comments in question, while talking to beIN Sports. Perhaps he was trying to instil a siege mentality in his squad as they look to get the title over the line, but he also slipped in a jibe at Liverpool.

"Well one week ago, even when we were in front, nobody [was saying City are the champions elect]. Everyone in this country supports Liverpool, the media and everyone," said Guardiola.

"Of course because Liverpool has an incredible history behind them, in European competitions. Not in the Premier League, because they've won one in 30 years.

"But it's not a problem at all. The situation is what it is. We have to get nine points, maybe six right now, it depends what is going to happen in the next two games in terms of goal difference."

This outburst was unexpected and the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich head coach was pressed on if he really thought Liverpool had the whole country behind them.

"Liverpool alongside [Manchester] United are the most important teams in history in terms of titles, legacies, history, dramas, for many, many things.

"But we are, for the last 10,11,12 years, being there and I know we are sometimes uncomfortable [for other people] but I don't care.

"If the people wants Liverpool to win more than us it's not the issue, it's normal. Maybe we have more supporters all around the world, for sure, and here in England [people] support more Liverpool than us."