Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has warned his players that anyone caught getting complacent with the club's good form will be dropped from the starting lineup, according to theMirror.
The Reds have surprised many by establishing themselves as genuine title challengers this season and are currently joint second in the Premier League, just a single point behind leaders Chelsea.
3) Jurgen Klopp ready to axe any Liverpool player who thinks they achieved something by going top in November #LFChttps://t.co/YF6OwHXVCQ pic.twitter.com/BeppJ1FS0L
The club's manager JurgenKlopp has experience of challenging for domestic titles, having lead former club Borussia Dortmund to back-to-back Bundesliga wins in 2011 and 2012.
Asked whether he had any advice to pass onto his Liverpool players, the German suggested his team should remain grounded and warned that anyone getting complacent would face the consequences.
Klopp said:Yes, there is something I can tell the players from the time we won with Dortmund.Not think too much about it (the title race). That will help.
If somebody is a character and wants to celebrate [being in] position one in November then he will not play in December anymore, because I see it pretty quick.
It isbetter to be in the number one spot one time than never in your life, but it is not really important in this moment. If you then celebrate this and don't be professional any more then you have a problem.�
The Reds' boss was then asked whether he had serious concerns about complacency creeping into his team, but he admitted their recent success was unlikely to have a negative effect on the players' motivation.
Klopp continued:These things usually don't happen. The players are here in this situation because their character is really good - it is a long way to get here.
It is not like they are surprised about success whether it is individual or as a team. They had successes of being the best player at Southampton, Schalke, Sunderland or other teams. This is success in itself.�
The Liverpool manager went on to reiterate his desire for his players to remain focused on the job in hand and that there was no need to think too far ahead.
Liverpool's Last 8 of 2016
ï”´Sunderland (H)
ï”´Leeds (H)
ï”´Bournemouth (A)
ï”´West Ham (H)
ï”´Middlesbrough (A)
ï”´Everton (A)
ï”´Stoke (H)
ï”´City (H)
He added:We are four or five hours a day here. Sometimes longer, sometimes less. They still have a few hours to be influenced, and that is what we have to do.
It is not too difficult. Nothing has happened until now. There is nothing to think about.
They know this already ” Stay cool, play football and see what happens.�