Manchester City Consistency 'Absolute Madness,' Says Jurgen Klopp

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has hailed Premier League title rivals Manchester City, saying he "can only admire" the consistency with which they have performed over the last two seasons.

Pep Guardiola's Sky Blues won the Premier League at a canter last term, as they reached 100 points, an English top-flight record:

Liverpool have matched them almost blow for blow this season, but if City win their final two league games of 2018-19 against Leicester City and Brighton & Hove Albion, the Reds will have to settle for second place despite potentially accruing 97 points:

After Liverpool beat Arsenal 5-1 on December 29, they had a 10-point lead over City in the Premier League. However, City have since won 16 out of 17 league games, and all of their last 12, to put them back on top by a single point.

As far as Klopp is concerned, that kind of form can only be applauded, per Goal and DAZN:

"If City win all their games, then I can only congratulate them. It is quite simple. They will have had an amazing season, an incredible campaign. They had an unbelievable 2017-18 season and almost matched their points tally from that year. That's absolute madness.

"You can only admire such consistency. I can't say anything bad about that. We don't want to win the league because City lose, but because we win. So if City win the league, they will have deserved it."

Liverpool are likely to take the title race right down to the wire, as they are strong favourites to beat Newcastle United on Saturday. If they do pick up three points at St. James' Park, and City then beat Leicester on Monday, Liverpool will still have a chance going into the final matchday of the season.

Arguably, though, the Reds will then have the tougher fixture.

City have to go away, but to 17th-placed Brighton. Liverpool, on the other hand, will be hosting a Wolverhampton Wanderers side who have been fantastic against top-six sides this term:

Even if Liverpool's remarkable league form this term—they have lost just one game so far—does end up counting for nothing, they have made a clear statement in 2018-19 that they are finally equipped to win the title again.

They have come close in recent years—most notably in 2013-14—but the current squad is the best Liverpool have had in decades.