Jurgen Klopp believes a top-four Premier League finish would represent success for Liverpool this season.

The Reds sit third in the table ahead of Sunday’s crunch Anfield showdown with fifth placed Tottenham, who are two points further back.

Hopes of silverware rest on their Champions League mission following a dismal FA Cup exit last weekend. However, Klopp says qualifying for Europe’s elite competition once again would ensure that Liverpool can look back on 2017/18 with satisfaction.

“When you start a season you can dream of something and you need to make a realistic target as well,” Klopp said.

“I think dreaming of being champion is probably the dream – not only at Liverpool but especially at Liverpool. Because of the season (Manchester) City is playing, that is quite difficult. Then I would prefer to be second to be honest if you cannot be first.

“But if you are second, third or fourth at the end of the season when you look back all three positions are good and similarly difficult to reach.

“Everybody thinks Arsenal is away (out of contention for the top four) but they are not. If there was one matchday when one of us is losing and Arsenal is winning then they are only five points behind.

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“Tottenham is behind all of us in the Champions League positions at the moment so (top four) is for sure a success.”

Liverpool have a score to settle with Tottenham following the 4-1 thrashing they endured at Wembley back in October.

Klopp is a big admirer of Mauricio Pochettino and the job he has done in the capital. Spurs have finished second and third in the past two seasons with the Argentine coach benefiting from keeping most of his top talent together.

“It’s a big sign to be honest,” Klopp said.

“Harry Kane is still there. The whole world is going nuts transfer wise and I think if someone has too much money or more than enough then it would make sense to ask: ‘Don’t you want to play for our team?’ He’s been at an outstanding top level since I was in England at least.

“Dele Alli, not the same season as last season, but still the highest quality. Christian Eriksen constantly pffff, Son (Heung-Min) really good, (Moussa) Sissoko made a step again and back to the player he was at Newcastle, (Victor) Wanyama not in but (Eric) Dier still there. They are just a good side and they are still together.

“The whole world buys players from everywhere but no-one buys from Tottenham. Maybe they don’t want to go. The players are closer to 20 than 30 so it is a very interesting project.

“They’ve had success so far. Only a little bit more than we had since I came in but more. That makes them a really good football team.”

After an alarming wobble against Swansea and West Brom, Liverpool returned to winning ways at Huddersfield in midweek. Having ended Man City’s proud unbeaten run in their last home league game, Klopp is buoyant about the Reds’ chances of avenging that Wembley defeat to Spurs.

“We could beat Tottenham. Since I came here they have been ahead of us and maybe, I am not sure, this is the first moment we are ahead of Tottenham,” he added.

“But the gap is only two points. This is a six-point game. In the end to fulfil our dreams at some point we have to overtake all of them. We cannot decide when or which (team). We have to be ready for achieving the biggest thing,”