Jürgen Klopp insists his Liverpool side can only focus on themselves over the course of their Premier League run-in, with just five games remaining in a tight top-four race.

The Reds have amassed 66 points so far this season, one more than fourth-placed Manchester City, six more than Manchester United and nine more than Arsenal - though both of the latter two teams have games in hand.

City can also leapfrog Liverpool back into third if they win their game in hand, though that game is against rivals United - meaning at least one team will drop points.

Klopp's charges are in control of their own destiny, particularly after back-to-back hard-fought wins away at Stoke City and West Bromwich Albion.

Last weekend's victory at The Hawthorns was another huge lift to their prospects of securing Champions League football for next season - but Klopp believes Liverpool cannot afford to let their standards slip between now and the end of the campaign.

Reds must only think about themselves

He told the club's official website that they "have to carry on" which is "no problem" because it is "actually the only thing we think about."

"That everybody is asking me about [the top-four] is no problem, I don't mind because the league is like the league is. [Rival teams] have three, or maybe next week after the [FA Cup] semi-finals, four games less," the German explained.

He also noted that if Manchester United can reach the Europa League semi-finals - with a second-leg against Anderlecht to play at Old Trafford after drawing the first-leg in Belgium 1-1 - then they have to play two more fixtures.

Klopp said: "If they go to the Europa League final, it could be really close for them to find the right days to play. But that's nothing we have influence on. We don't play them anymore."

Instead, the Reds boss is focused on his side and says they "have to do our job as good as possible", which he believes "couldn't have been better" in the win over West Brom.

Liverpool host Crystal Palace this Sunday in the Premier League looking for a first Anfield victory over the Eagles since October 2013 as they look to stretch their unbeaten run to eight games.

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About the author
Charlie Malam
Digital Sports Writer at the Daily Express. First-class Staffordshire University Sports Journalism graduate. Formerly VAVEL UK's Liverpool FC editor and Deputy Editor-in-Chief. Contributor since June 2014.