Jurgen Klopp insists 2014 is not in Liverpool’s mind ahead of Chelsea’s visit.
Sunday’s clash with Maurizio Sarri’s side evokes memories of the meeting five years ago when the Reds’ bid for a long-awaited Premier League title unravelled.
The Londoners ran out 2-0 winners in the game, which is best remembered for Steven Gerrard slipping as he attempted to control a Mamadou Sakho pass.
Demba Ba opened the scoring from Gerrard’s mistake while Willian was able to double the lead late in the second half from a Chelsea counter-attack.
Liverpool drew their next game against Crystal Palace fully killed off hopes of a first title since 1990 as they lost out to Manchester City, their current challengers.
But Klopp has dismissed suggestions that events on that April afternoon will be either a motivation or focal point in Chelsea’s latest visit to Anfield this weekend.
He said: “I’m not sure if it’s anybody’s mind to be honest. I didn’t think a second about it. I heard about that incident.
“I can tell all the fans out there, ignore it: it has nothing to do with us. It’s a completely new story.
“Things happen once in a lifetime, sometimes twice and sometimes never. It’s all about the game on Sunday and has nothing to do with any games beforehand.”
“I didn’t think one second, until I entered this room, about 2014 – not one second. Why should I?,” he added.
“What we have in our situation is that we tried from the first day to play the best season we are able to play. We didn’t compare it to any other season.
“We hope we can be obviously on the next level. That’s what happened from time to time but consistency-wise, for sure, a lot of things improved.
“How can we say ‘how was it that time?’ I have no clue. If somebody listens to you and feels the same like a lot of you feel then you are nervous immediately.
“I am not nervous. I feel the intensity of the competition and it’s good but in this moment, we see the positivity of the moment. But we never rested there.
“We have to make the next step because it’s not over yet.”