LIVERPOOL
\nAfter five years of duelling for Premier League supremacy, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp believes Erling Haaland\u2019s arrival at Manchester City has made the difficult task of winning a title almost impossible.
\nLiverpool\u2019s first title in 30 years in 2019\/20 interrupted City\u2019s run of four Premier League wins in five seasons, but twice Pep Guardiola\u2019s men have pipped the Reds by a solitary point, in 2018\/19 and again last season.
\nBut Klopp\u2019s men head into the first league meeting between the sides this season at Anfield on Sunday already 13 points behind the champions.
\nLiverpool\u2019s worst league start in 10 years has seen their summer recruitment come under scrutiny.
\nMost of the club\u2019s transfer budget was splashed on striker Darwin Nunez, who has taken time to adjust to Klopp\u2019s methods, while the decision not to reinforce an ageing midfield now looks questionable.
\nBy contrast, City have added who Klopp described as \u201cthe best striker in the world\u201d to a squad of seasoned winners.
\nHaaland has struck 20 times already in just 12 competitive appearances and goes into Sunday\u2019s clash on a 10-game scoring streak for his new club.
\n\u201cNobody can compete with City,\u201d said Klopp at his pre-match press conference. \u201cYou have the best team in the world and you put in the best striker on the market. No matter what it costs, you just do it.\u201d
\nHaaland\u2019s buyout clause at Borussia Dortmund meant his 60 million euro ($60 million) transfer fee was significantly lower than what Liverpool paid for Nunez.
\nBut the total package of the Haaland deal including agents\u2019 fees, bonuses and wages is reported to be as much as \u00a3190 million ($212.4 million).
\nThe Norwegian is certainly proving his worth on the field, with Klopp an admirer since seeing his \u201cinsane\u201d potential when Liverpool faced RB Salzburg in the Champions League in 2019.
\n\u201cEven when he was very young, you could see the potential was insane. We were already pretty busy thinking about him, how can you shut him down? He scored anyway.
\n\u201cPhysically, he sets new standards. The combination of being really physical and technical and sensational awareness, his orientation on the pitch is exceptional.\u201d
\nLiverpool\u2019s 3-1 win over City to win the Community Shield in August gave the seemingly false impression of another title fight in the making between the two.
\nSince then, City are undefeated in 13 Premier League and Champions League games.
\nArsenal\u2019s sensational start to the season has kept Pep Guardiola\u2019s men off the top of the table for now, but the City boss believes Liverpool remain his side\u2019s biggest threat to winning the league.
\n\u201cThe opinion I have for this team will not change,\u201d said Guardiola. \u201cBecause I know the quality they have.\u201d
\nIf that is the case, the fight for the title may be short-lived with even Klopp counting Liverpool out of the race.
\n\u201cIt could be this year,\u201d he added on the history of title-deciding matches between the sides. \u201cJust not for us.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
LIVERPOOL After five years of duelling for Premier League supremacy, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp believes Erling Haaland\u2019s arrival at Manchester City has made the difficult task of winning a title almost impossible. Liverpool\u2019s first title in 30 years in 2019\/20 interrupted City\u2019s run of four Premier League wins in five seasons, but twice Pep Guardiola\u2019s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":289609,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-289595","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n