Jurgen Klopp has declared himself happy with Liverpool's form across the first half of the Premier League season, which he hopes to use as a base to push on over the coming months.
The Reds are second in the table just past the midway point in the campaign, sitting five points adrift of leaders Chelsea after losing just two of their opening 20 games.
Chelsea's defeat to Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday night has given the chasing pack hope of overhauling the Blues at the summit, but Klopp insists that he is only focused on the performances of his own players following the 2-2 draw with Sunderland last time out.
"When we came together in June and talked about the season, the ideas we had, the plan we had, the dreams we had, we thought we could have a good season," he told reporters. "When you finish the first half of the season with 43 points, I have no time to think about it, to celebrate, before the next game. After 20 games 44 points, the second best in the league, is still good.
"That's absolutely okay, more than okay, but it's only the base for the rest of the season. We have to keep on going. It makes no sense to look at the other teams because we have no influence on the games. That's still the case after the Chelsea game.
"At the end of the Sunderland game we were all pretty much frustrated because we thought that a game like this, when you win it 2-1, doesn't make the game better, but it's the perfect thing. I don't think you can expect the best performance in a game like this. Sunderland did really well but didn't create a lot of chances. The game is over, you have one point and it felt like defeat. It's over, long ago."
Liverpool take on Manchester United in their next league outing on January 15, but before then is a home tie against Plymouth Argyle in the third round of the FA Cup.
Daniel Lewis
