A level-headed Jurgen Klopp insists Liverpool are not allowing themselves to be swept up in the hype surrounding their Premier League title tilt.
The leaders take a seven-point advantage over champions Manchester City into Thursday’s crunch encounter at the Etihad Stadium.
Hope of a first top-flight title since 1990 will soar if they can inflict a fourth league defeat in six matches on Pep Guardiola’s men and make it 21 games unbeaten to start the Premier League season.
Expectations of silverware might be growing on Merseyside but Klopp is unconcerned by how his players will cope with the fanfare.
“That’s how the world is: there are the few who have to work for the dream and the few who only have to dream. We are, for sure, the ones who have to work for it.
“In no sport in the world do you celebrate before you are past the finish line. We are in a good moment, we know that. Before the season started, the target was to qualify for the Champions League.
Liverpool beat their title rivals three times in all competitions last term and have lost just twice in the pair’s past 11 competitive meetings – one of those defeats coming via a penalty shoot-out in the 2016 EFL Cup final.