Jurgen Klopp says he would be an “idiot” for reading much into the Premier League table after Liverpool moved NINE points clear at the top.

Roberto Firmino scored a hat-trick and Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah also netted as the Reds romped to a 5-1 triumph over Arsenal at Anfield on Saturday evening.

Liverpool's players were aware before kick-off that second-place Tottenham Hotspur had slumped to a shock 3-1 reverse at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier in the day.

But despite the Reds continuing their best-ever start to a league campaign by moving on to 54 points from a possible 60, Klopp maintains both he and his squad are not interested in their lead, which could be cut to seven points should Manchester City win at Southampton on Sunday.

“I wish we could switch and you (the journalists) can come here and I can go there,” said the Reds boss.

“We are nine points ahead. By the way tomorrow it can be seven, and then after we play City four. It's possible.

“I'm not the smartest person in the world but I'm really not an idiot. Not always, at least.

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“It's not important how many points you are ahead in December, even if it's the end of December.

“I understand why you are all positive about us, how can you not be? But you are also the first people who when we drop points will ask 'are they nervous?'.

“That's an easy job. I'd love to be in that situation, still on the money I earn!”

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Klopp added: “We can't play that game and we don't do it. Before the game we obviously heard and saw on our screens the result of Tottenham.

“People might think the party has already started but there wasn't a smile on any face in the dressing room. That's how it is.

“We came here and now have 54 points after 20 games completely being focused on the situations.

“It's not about creating headlines and stories. It's about preparing for football matches and playing them as good as we can and get as many points as you can.”

Liverpool's next game is at champions Manchester City on Thursday, with Klopp adamant league placings will have no bearing on the encounter.

“When we went to City last year (in the Champions League quarter-final) do you think I had in the dressing room a table saying we're fourth and they are first?” he said. “We just wanted to win the game.

“We go to City not with whatever point distance. We only go there to try to play the best football game we can play, 100%.

“The only thing that can get annoying is answering the same questions! But as long as we think about football, everything is fine.

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“An example, in the moment it feels like marathon what we are running. Before the marathon, the weather is brilliant, new trainers, new shirt, new everything.

“The people say: 'You will win today'. But first I have to run. The people all around us are buzzing and one guy has to run. We have to run. That's what we try as good as possible.”