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Jurgen Klopp demanded greater consistency from a Liverpool team which he believes is still capable of playing “at the highest level”.

Saturday’s 3-0 home victory over Huddersfield lifted the Reds to sixth place in the Premier League, but with their main five rivals all still above them in the table and Manchester City a huge 12 points ahead in the distance.

Next week, it will be exactly a year since Liverpool thrashed Watford 6-1 at Anfield to go top of the Premier League, a position which they had lost by the end of November and never regained.

Reflecting on the progress over the last 12 months, Klopp said: “Top of the table was a wonderful moment, we played wonderful football – and we’ve played sometimes wonderful football this season too. But we need to be lucky too.

“We haven’t had too much luck so far, that’s the truth. But you cannot ask for luck. You cannot say, ‘Where’s the luck?’ You have to work until the luck happens. Today it clicked.

“Yes, we were ahead of schedule (going top) – that is clear. But everything could have happened from this point: no injuries, bah, bah, bah.

“We are able to perform on the highest level. But now we have to find consistency.”

The weight of history and expectation levels have seemed to impact on the Liverpool manager at times this season, with some exasperated looks on the touchline, not least in the draw against Newcastle.

Three points against Huddersfield eased the pressure for now but Liverpool can ill afford any more performances like the Wembley capitulation against Spurs.

(Image: John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

“The problem is that here the moment things don’t work out, we get compared with the past,” said Klopp.

“Immediately, what you said before the season is immediately the truth: we need to fix the defence etc. Yeah, but it’s the middle of the season! We can only fix it on the training pitch.

“How could I talk about it? The only thing the people around do is weaken the players by saying, ‘You are not good enough.’ It’s a little bit of a problem.”

Klopp knows things change quickly in football with Spurs following up their victory over Liverpool by crashing out of the Carabao Cup after leading 2-0 against West Ham and losing at Old Trafford on Saturday.

(Image: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

“Tottenham, I’m not sure if Pochettino has spoken about similar things. But Harry Kane not involved, losing two games in a row: things like this, that’s how it happen.

“Two weeks ago, it wasn’t a Harry Kane team and now it is a Harry Kane team. We all have problems. That’s how it is – apart from City obviously at the moment. At the moment they are the best team in the league.

“Do I still think it’s possible (to be top)? Yes, 100%. But I know too it takes time. That’s it. The boys are good enough. Immediately you could see the relief, how big it was. They loved football so much. Alberto running, Hendo in the box.

“Why? Because they could enjoy it. We have to work a lot, that’s how it is.”