Jurgen Klopp has warned Liverpool fans to ‘fasten the seatbelts’ for their Premier League title run-in.
Saturday’s visit of Bournemouth affords the Reds a chance to return to the summit with leaders Manchester City set to take on Chelsea 24 hours later.
The Reds have a game in hand on Pep Guardiola’s side, who were able to overtake them on goal difference with a 2-0 win at Everton in midweek.
Klopp’s players, meanwhile, are coming off the back of successive 1-1 draws against Leicester City and West Ham during the past fortnight.
But the Liverpool manager believes that the title race will go right down to the wire and dismissed suggestions that his team are cracking under the pressure.
He said: “I do not see what they all say they can see in our faces. When I talked to the referee after the West Ham game they say: ‘Now he is nervous.’ I am not.
“I knew this would be a really tough race and here we are. There was never a guarantee this season.
“People always wanted the biggest gap in the world, pretty much, 25 points, whatever, and then only three games to go. That’s nice, but it’s not the reality.
“The reality is that if you want to be champions of the league, you have to fight until the last matchday. That is completely normal and what we have to do.
“To be in that fight is very positive – a big achievement – and we have to make sure the people see that again on Saturday.
“We have no influence if people want to be overly critical. We can not change that immediately. What is on offer is a tight race until the last matchday.
“Make yourself ready, fasten the seatbelts and let’s go.”