Jurgen Klopp expects the Premier League title race to go down to the wire.
Liverpool head into Monday’s trip to Southampton leading the table by sole virtue of goal difference following Manchester United’s win at the weekend.
The champions also face competition from a chasing pack that sees Leicester City, Tottenham, Manchester City and Everton all within touching distance.
Klopp saw his side romp to last season’s title with an 18-point cushion but believes the fight to the finish will be more fiercely contested this time out.
He said: “Last season was very tough for us as well.
“It’s not that we thought ‘oh my god, it’s that easy’. Clearly it was really tough and this year is tough again.
“We wish it would not be that close but I’m not surprised that it is. We have our situation, all the other clubs have their situation.
“Our season is so far, so good – not more not less. We tried to be ready for each game.
“I liked the reaction [against Newcastle] on the second half against West Brom. Now Southampton will ask different things [from us].
“We have to be ready again, then Aston Villa and Man United so this season is a tough one for the supporters.
“If you are neutral then you will love it, I’m pretty sure, because it will go to the wire probably. It’s tough for all of us. That’s the reason why it’s so close.”
The Liverpool manager also refused to discount the prospect of strengthening his defence with Joel Matip now facing a three-week spell on the sidelines.
Homegrown duo Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams have been rotated as centre-back partner to Fabinho, himself deputising for an injured Virgil van Dijk.
“We have solutions in the squad and if we can or if we will do something in the window, I don’t know,” admitted Klopp.
“It’s a very difficult transfer window as you can imagine. Not a lot of clubs have ‘real’ money. Some clubs don’t have money but don’t need money as well, so that’s the situation.
“Doing the right thing would make sense but doing something makes no sense and so far, as long as we are in the situation we are, we have to deal with it.
“I really like Nat. He’s just a completely clear boy, knows about his abilities and is using it and is just doing the job.
“He helped us a lot [against Newcastle] and it was clear he would play because we have three centre-halves in the moment.
“Iif Rhys would have played again then Nat wouldn’t have played for 5-6 weeks which makes no sense because he needs rhythm as well.
“So we have to think a lot about these kinds of things.”