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Bayern Munich coach Hansi Flick has heaped praise on Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp following his side's Premier League title success.

Liverpool were crowned the winners of the English top-flight after Manchester City suffered a 2-1 defeat to Chelsea on Thursday, leaving the Reds 23 points clear with seven games left to play.

After their Champions League triumph last season, Klopp's men put an end to their 30-year wait for a domestic league title just over a week after Bayern secured an eighth consecutive Bundesliga victory.

Bayern boss Flick says he has congratulated his compatriot after the Anfield outfit were confirmed champions and says the coach deserves all the credit for all of his good work at the club.

"We already know each other and of course we congratulate each other," Flick said to reporters.

"He's doing an outstanding work in Liverpool. It's great to see how they play football. We are both very, very happy that we managed to win the league title."

Asked if Klopp should return to Germany in the near future, the 53-year-old replied: "Only he can answer that. In the ranking of German coaches, he definitely belongs at the top. He has already done a great job in Dortmund and has now done a sensational job in Liverpool."

Klopp's former side Borussia Dortmund, who he guided to consecutive Bundesliga crowns and a Champions League final, were also happy to pass on their congratulations, with sporting director Michael Zorc comparing him to boxing legend Muhammad Ali.

"Congratulations, Jurgen! You are the greatest. It's not for nothing that I have been calling you the Muhammad Ali of football for years," he said.

The club's managing director Hans-Joachim Watzke added: "To be champions in such a strong league as the English with so many top teams and so many matches before the end of the season is just outstanding.

"Jurgen has further developed the pressing system that he created in England. With this latest success, he is one of the greatest coaches in the world."

Liverpool's first game as confirmed champions is on July 2 when they visit second-placed City.

Mamelodi Sundowns team doctor Carl Tabane expects more PSL clubs to confirm new cases of the coronavirus.

Kaizer Chiefs, Bloemfontein Celtic, Stellenbosch FC and Orlando Pirates are the four PSL clubs which have confirmed Covid-19 cases in their camps thus far.

Tabane explained that he is not surprised by the increasing number of PSL players who are testing positive for the virus which has led to the suspension of the current season since March.

“It was not going to be Kaizer Chiefs alone. Many clubs and players are going to be affected. The whole country is feeling the pandemic," Tabane said on Daily Sun.

"So, I am not surprised by the numbers increasing because players do not live alone. They have family members and they go to the shops just like you and me.”

Pirates midfielder Ben Motshwari became the first PSL player to contract Covid-19, but he has since recovered, while Celtic recently revealed that midfielder Given Mashikinya has tested positive.

Three Stellenbosch staff members have contracted the virus and Chiefs confirmed two cases within their squad, but they have not disclosed the names of the players.

Nevertheless, the government has given the PSL the go-ahead to resume the suspended season.

PSL chairman Irvin Khoza has disclosed that a national camp based in one province will conclude the campaign and clubs are expected to follow all the required safety measures.

“We developed a medical protocol for the admin offices and also for the training facilities. Everyone [players and officials] at the club has gone through it," Tabane said.

"We’ve had inputs from health officials in terms of all the club’s training fields. Training will be staggered, with individual training or in small groups. We want to put the players at ease and to comply with government regulations.

“If we receive players who are positive with Covid-19 when they come back, we will know exactly how to react and to deal with everything.”

Tabane is not concerned about the fitness levels of the players after a three-month lay-off as Sundowns have enough depth in their squad.

“The fitness may not be what we want, but no club can say they have reached a maximum fitness level. Inactivity can lead to poor performance and to some extent, increase the risk of injuries," he explained.

"Fifa is helping with the five substitution rule and that would be assist clubs in great deal. That’s where depth in the team will come handy.

"We do not have a lot of casualties in our list except for Thapelo Morena and Mauricio Affonso who are recovering beautifully."

Pep Guardiola enjoyed an impressive playing career as a stylish midfielder for Barcelona and Brescia among others, but his profile really exploded when he became a coach.

The Catalan is widely credited as being the mastermind of Tiki-Taka and has tasted success with Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester City, such is his tactical influence.

That habit of winning - and winning well - has ensured that he continues to earn lucrative contracts for his services after hanging up the boots for good.

So how much is Guardiola worth and what sort of money is he earning? Goal takes a look.

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What is Pep Guardiola's net worth?

Guardiola's net worth is reported to be in the region of $40 million to $50 million (£32m - £40m), which places him in a similar bracket to his long-time rival Jose Mourinho.

Spear's puts the Catalan's net worth at just over £30 million ($38m), while the website Celebrity Net Worth estimates that his net worth is around $40 million (£32m).

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How much does Pep Guardiola earn?

Guardiola's current deal with Man City, which was signed in 2018 and will run until 2021, is reported to be worth £15 million ($19m) a year.

That means the Catalan native is due to pocket at least £45 million ($55m) over the three years.

The pay packet is roughly the same as that commanded by Mourinho, but reports suggest that Guardiola's salary could be bumped to £20 million ($25m) a year, should he put pen to paper on a new deal with City.

Of course, his income is naturally supplemented by investments and endorsement deals. You can see a breakdown of Guardiola's reported earnings per year, month, week and so forth below. 

*Approximates

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What sponsorship deals does Pep Guardiola have?

Guardiola is not flush with endorsement deals in the same way other coaches such as Mourinho or Jurgen Klopp are, but he does have a handful of partnerships.

Notably, the Catalan signed a personal deal with sportswear brand Puma at the same time they became the new manufacturers of Man City's kits.

When the Puma deal was unveiled, Guardiola made sure to reference the fact that his mentor Johan Cruyff had been sponsored by them too.

During his time as Bayern Munich head coach, Guardiola had a personal endorsement deal with Gore-Tex, an outdoors wear company.

He has previously worked in an ambassadorial role for the Qatari World Cup 2022 bid and has a deal with car manufacturers Nissan.

While it could hardly be said that Guardiola's endorsements are not lucrative, the relative lack of such partnerships is arguably consistent with his outwardly austere persona. 

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What charity work does Pep Guardiola do?

Guardiola has never been shy about contributing to charitable causes and notably donated €1 million (£900k/$1.1m) towards the purchase of medical supplies in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.

He has taken part in a number of charity golf tournaments over the years and even teamed up with Rory McIlroy in 2017 to raise money for the golfer's charitable foundation by appearing as a special guest at a function in Belfast, as well as donating a number of signed items for auction.

In 2019, Guardiola lent his time to the Salvation Army, appearing along with former Liverpool defender Mark Lawrenson as a surprise guest at one of their homeless football tournaments.

He has promoted the work of the Fundacion Luzon, which aims to work towards the improvement of treatment for people who have ALS.

The Catalan has also taken part in the promotion of Man City's City in the Community project and the grey cashmere Herno hoodie he wore during the 2018-19 season raised £6,000 in an auction.

It is not strictly charity work, but Guardiola has devoted a lot of his time towards the cause of Catalan Independence and has campaigned for the release of Catalan activists. He notably fell foul of the Football Association for wearing a yellow ribbon in support of imprisoned Catalan politicians.

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How many social media followers does Pep Guardiola have?

Guardiola's social media presence comes under the umbrella of 'Pep Team' on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Across those three platforms, he has approximately 5.5 million followers.

The 'Pep Team' Facebook page has the biggest following with over 4.1 million subscribers and the Instagram page follows with just over a million followers. The Twitter page has just over 300,000 followers.

Like most football personalities, Guardiola's social media pages are used to comment on matches, share updates on activities and also to promote sponsors.

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Former Everton and Egypt defender Ibrahim Said believes he is better than Liverpool centre-back Virgil van Dijk.

The Dutchman has been a solid rock for the Reds since he joined from Southampton in January 2018, helping the Merseyside club to the Champions League, Uefa Super Cup, Club World Cup and most recently the Premier League which they clinched for the first time under the current format and first since 1990 when it was the old English First Division.

The 28-year old has made 115 appearances for Liverpool, scoring 11 goals and providing six assists.

He is famously known for going 65 games without getting dribbled past until Manchester City’s Gabriel Jesus did it in the 2019 Community Shield at Wembley which City won 5-4 on penalties after ending 1-1 in regular time.

"I am more skilled than Van Dijk, because he plays in only one position, while I have been playing in more than one. Certainly, I'm better than him,” Said told Egyptian TV channel TEN.

Said went on to stress that Van Dijk has a negative in that he loses focus at times. He also says the presence of strong teammates helps him shine on the pitch.

"I talk seriously about this, if you compare me to him, you will find that there is a huge difference between us in everything, because he has a negative, which is that when he loses his focus, [he plays] completely incorrectly,” Said continued.

“The possibilities he possesses, in addition to his teammates, make any player shine at this level, I am seriously talking about this."

“[Van] Dijk is a good defender, but sometimes he makes mistakes like all defenders in the world."

Said was loaned to Everton from Al Ahly in 2003 but he failed to make a single appearance for the Toffees.

He enjoyed his best days with Ahly, winning the Egyptian Premier League, Egyptian Cup, Caf Champions League and Caf Super Cup.

Said also won 49 caps with the Egypt national team between 2000 and 2008, winning the Africa Cup of Nations with the Pharaohs in 2006 on home soil and in 2008 in Ghana.

Quique Setien says he has not been told Arthur will be leaving Barcelona for Juventus, urging the Brazil international to stay focused for the rest of the season as he admitted his disappointment at the "absolutely abnormal" circumstances.

Arthur is reportedly set to join Serie A champions Juve for €80 million (£72m/$90m), with the more experienced Miralem Pjanic potentially heading in the opposite direction for €70m (£65m/$78m).

Barca take on Celta Vigo at Balaidos on Saturday and Setien insisted the former Gremio midfielder remains available for selection and could feature, despite the distractions of transfer talk.

"This that is happening is absolutely abnormal. In principle I still have Arthur. He is important like the rest. He will train and he will travel and has the possibility of playing," said the Barcelona boss. "I hope all this noise does not affect him and that if he plays, he tries to give the best of himself.

"Any player who is in such a situation must make it clear the season is not over, win a title and leave a good impression until the last day he is here.

"I do not take it for granted that he is going to leave. The club has not informed me Arthur is leaving. He will be with us until the last game of the season. If it happens, I will try to convince him to leave a good impression. The most important thing is to be honest until the last day and I am convinced he is."

Setien was unwilling to comment on the possible signing of Pjanic and suggested Arthur has struggled to adapt to the style of football he wants Barca to play.

"Since he has been with me, he has put a lot of interest in doing what we asked him to do," Setien said.

"Maybe he lacked a little continuity. It is not easy to change things in a footballer that other coaches told him were very good. When they tell him it is very good to keep the ball and we come and we want to play two touches, it is difficult.

"Yes, it's possible he lacked some physicality, but he is on the right track."

Granit Xhaka says Arsenal's youngsters have "big futures" after Eddie Nketiah and Joe Willock led the way in the Gunners' latest win.

Nketiah and Willock scored the two goals in the north Londoners' 2-0 win over Southampton on Thursday, the club's first since the Premier League's restart.

In the 20th minute, Nketiah opened the scoring with his fourth goal of the season, having netted five times while on loan with Leeds United for the first half of the season.

Willock's goal, meanwhile, sealed the win in the 87th minute - his fifth strike for the club in 34 appearances.

At just 21 and 20 years old, Nketiah and Willock are seen as vital for Arsenal's future, with the two emerging as key players already this season.

And Xhaka, one of Arsenal's more experienced players, believes that the club's younger group are already stepping up to help as the team looks to build on its most recent win.

“I think we have some very good youngsters and they have big futures,” he said, as quoted by the Evening Standard. “They are already helping us and they keep working hard as well.

“Of course, we had to win yesterday [to keep our hopes of qualifying for Europe alive].

“We didn’t play well last week [at Manchester City] and then we were a little bit unlucky [at Brighton], but yesterday we played very, very compact we were aggressive in a lot of the duels and we deserved the three points.

"I think we worked very hard, we had a game plan and Mikel [Arteta] did very good preparation for us.

“But sometimes you need luck, sometimes it is not your day but yesterday we started again with another three points and we want to keep going.

“We are happy to take the first three points since the lockdown and we hope to continue like this."

Arsenal currently sit ninth in the Premier League, one point behind eighth-place Sheffield United and two points behind rivals Tottenham in seventh place.

The Gunners will face Sheffield United on Sunday in the FA Cup before returning to the Emirates Stadium next Wednesday to take on Norwich.

Toni Kroos has revealed that he drank so much after Bayern Munich's Champions League defeat to Chelsea back in 2012 that he had to call an emergency doctor.

The midfielder, who now plays for Real Madrid, was attempting to numb the pain of the defeat to the Premier League side, who triumphed on penalties in the final at Bayern's own Allianz Arena.

The Bavarians, who were red-hot favourites going into the match, were ahead in the match with just a few minutes remaining after Thomas Muller netted the opener after 83 minutes.

Didier Drogba headed home before full-time, however, sending the game into extra-time and then penalties - with the Ivorian scoring the winning spot-kick after Bastian Schweinsteiger had hit the post with his effort.

The victory sparked jubilant scenes among the Chelsea players as the Blues claimed what was their first European win, with Bayern left to rue losing a match that had appeared in their grasp.

Indeed, it was all too much for Kroos, who turned to alcohol to help ease the pain of the loss.

Speaking on the Einfach mal Luppen podcast, Kroos's brother Felix recalled: "The Champions League final against Chelsea in 2012 - that was us drinking out of frustration. We were close to needing an emergency doctor!"

To which the Madrid star replied: "It was not a good thing but at least there was a reason for it. I remember that Jessi (Kroos's wife Jessica) then said: 'We can't do that (call a doctor) now. Imagine if it came out that I called an emergency doctor for having too much to drink!'

"There was no other way [to ease the pain of defeat]. In the end I had to call the emergency doctor myself because I thought: 'It can't be allowed to get worse than this.'"

Toni Kroos also referred to another night of boozing with his brother, and former Bayer Leverkusen defender Stefan Reinartz, where he ended up drinking tequila shots "because that was the only thing that went down pretty well".

He was left to regret the decision the following day, however, with Felix joking about how he had to sit on the couch with his brother to make sure he was breathing.

It would appear that was the night that put the now 30-year-old off drinking alcohol for good, with Toni Kroos revealing: "It was my fault that I wasn't feeling well the next day. That was the point I said: 'It (drinking alcohol) doesn't do any good. I couldn't look at tequila that evening and that's why I gave it up completely. It didn't hurt [giving it up] and I don't miss it."

Thomas Tuchel believes Paris Saint-Germain's Champions League prospects are "different but not impossible" after learning he will not be able to call upon Thomas Meunier and Edinson Cavani.

PSG's all-time leading scorer Cavani and Belgium right-back Meunier rejected short-term contracts to stay on for the final stages of Europe's premier competition in August, with the Ligue 1 giants having reached the quarter-finals courtesy of victory over Tuchel's old employers Borussia Dortmund.

France's top-flight was curtailed in April, with PSG declared 2019-20 champions, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

That in turn complicated matters for Tuchel's out-of-contract players, with an eye towards the Champions League and the finals of the Coupe de la Ligue and Coupe de France – the latter two showpieces which are yet to be given rescheduled dates.

Captain Thiago Silva, along with Layvin Kurzawa, is reportedly set to stay on for the short term, but the veteran Brazil centre-back will not be offered a deal beyond this season.

"All the players are important to create a group and a mentality and to lose these three [Cavani, Silva and Meunier] decreases the group," Tuchel told his news conference. "We have always played with these players and therefore we lose quality with their departures, that's for sure.

"After that it will not be impossible and I am convinced that we will be very strong. We have to prepare this team for the two finals with a very good mentality.

"We played an extraordinary Champions League with everyone. It is different but not impossible."

PSG were not only depleted in terms of senior professionals on their return to training this week.

Despite making 13 first-team appearances this season, 18-year-old defender Tanguy Kouassi has rejected an extended contract and is understood to be on the verge of joining Bayern Munich.

Midfielder Adil Aouchiche will also seek pastures new, although Kouassi's exit is the one preying on Tuchel's mind.

"For Adil I can understand because it is difficult to fight for a place in midfield at a club like this," he said. "But for Tanguy, I'm sorry because it's been a pleasure to work with him. It's different because it's no secret, I wanted to keep him with us.

"He played against Dortmund, the most important game of the season with the most tension and stake. He played at 17 when he had no contract.

"There was confidence, he would have had minutes, he could have been a key player. I can't understand and I'm sad, but that's how it is. It is difficult to understand this situation for him."

Julian Draxler could also be heading for the exit door, with Hertha Berlin reported to be his next destination, although Tuchel would be keen to keep the Germany international.

"He is with us and for the moment," Tuchel added. "I only see the two finals and the Champions League. For me he is a very important player, I like working with him, he is ready.

"I count on him in the next four or five weeks for the finals and afterwards for the Champions League. After that is not my choice, we have to talk and make a decision together. I really like this player, I'm very happy that he is here."

Manchester City winger Riyad Mahrez has tipped Liverpool superstar Sadio Mane to win the PFA Player of the Year award.

The Senegal international has been in excellent form for the Reds this season, scoring 15 Premier League goals and 19 in all competitions with the Merseyside outfit claiming the title for the first time in 30 years after City failed to beat Chelsea on Thursday night.

Jurgen Klopp’s men lost out to the Citizens by a single point last season. Mane was also joint top-scorer in the Premier League alongside his teammate and Egypt international Mohamed Salah and Gabon forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the previous campaign with 22 goals apiece.

Mane is up against the likes of Salah, current holder and Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk, Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling as well as Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy, who leads the top scorer's chart this season with 19 goals, for the award.

“I think it would be Mane,” Mahrez said when asked by BT Sport for his choice as reported by Metro.

“Not too many skills, he’s not a player of skills, but he’s efficient.

“He scores goals, like [Mohamed] Salah, when he was at Southampton, he was good, but he wasn’t as good as now.

“He’s improved a lot technically and in front of the goal. He scores a lot of goals now because he improved a lot. So yeah, I think this year it should be him.”

The PFA Awards was set to take place in Manchester on April 26, the first time it would be held outside London, but was suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Mahrez was the recipient of the PFA POTY in 2016 after he played a crucial role towards Leicester City winning an unprecedented league title for the first time ever, scoring 17 goals and providing 10 assists.

He became the first-ever African to win the award but it was not long before another African in Salah won it two seasons later after scoring 32 league goals, which made him the highest scorer in a 38-game league season, surpassing Cristiano Ronaldo’s record of 31 strikes in the 2007-08 campaign with Manchester United.

Mahrez joined Manchester City from Leicester in 2018 and has won another Premier League title along with the FA Cup and two League Cups, scoring 23 goals and providing 27 assists in 84 competitive appearances.

Jurgen Klopp says he is “not interested in a statue” outside Anfield, despite leading Liverpool to their first title triumph in 30 years.

The German was appointed by the Reds in October 2015 in the hope that he could be the man to bring good times back to Merseyside.

It took him a while to get going, with final heartache suffered along the way, but a wait for major silverware came to a close when a Champions League crown was wrapped up in 2019.

The floodgates have opened since then, with the Premier League trophy now added to a cabinet alongside UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup honours.

Klopp has been showered with plaudits for the manner in which he has gone about his business, with the 53-year-old now firmly established as one of the finest coaching brains in the game.

A larger-than-life character has always remained humble, though, and claims to have no desire to take up a standing alongside the legendary figures that have gone before him at Liverpool.

“I want to live for 30 or 40 years so I am not interested in a statue, for sure not in my lifetime – I don't want to pass anything like that,” Klopp told reporters.

“I am the manager of this team and we won the league so people see this as positive I can imagine. I am very positive about that as well but you don't have to compare me with these iconic figures.”

While he may be eager to avoid the limelight, Klopp does now occupy a title-winning bracket on Merseyside alongside the likes of Bob Paisley and Bill Shankly.

There will be no resting on laurels from him or his side, though, with the plan being to build from this point and ensure that there is not another lengthy barren run on the silverware front to come.

“The history is no burden anymore. The history is now our wonderful background for the basis of what we are doing,” Klopp added.

“When I came in, we had to say 'don't compare us anymore with anybody', with these wonderful, fantastic people who played for this club and won everything for this club in the past. We cannot - the world's changed. 

“We need to get the opportunity from you actually, our supporters, to find our own way. This is only possible because nobody lost patience with us in any moment. Football manager is a nice job but a difficult one as well because we cannot really ask for time. 

“We have to deliver immediately, people have to see the steps we make and people saw them because they wanted to see them. So the story was possible.

“We are in a good moment, we are all young enough to still go for something. This is not the final destination. It’s a moment like last year’s Champions League final. From that moment you carry on, and that’s what we’ll do now.”

Posta Rangers coach Sammy Omollo feels teams should be allowed to complete the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Shield Cup competition.

The competition was halted in March owing to Covid-19 outbreak and the Federation went on to state it might not be played to a conclusion. The former defender has however stated some African nations have set precedents which should be emulated.

"We have Tanzania and recently Zambia who have resumed footballing activities which gives us hope as well," Omollo told Goal on Friday.

"It was a rushed decision to end the season but we can amend it by playing the domestic competition. We have teams that are desperate to represent the country in the Caf Confederation Cup.

"The Federation should sit with the Government and seek special permission for the remaining matches to be played, without fans. It is very possible."

In the last 16, apart from KCB, who pulled out of the competition, Gor Mahia failed to turn up for their game against Posta Rangers at Afraha Stadium while defending champions Bandari FC were also a no-show at Mbaraki Stadium where they were scheduled to play Sofapaka.

National Super League side Bidco United also failed to travel to Kianyaga Stadium where they were to play Fortune Sacco with Keroka Technical University failed to honour their game against Kisumu All-Stars.

In the matches played, AFC Leopards survived a Ushuru FC scare to advance to the next round. After a goalless draw in regulation time, Ingwe advanced after winning the penalty shootout 4-2.

Ulinzi defeated Migori Youth by a solitary goal while Kariobangi Sharks claimed a 4-1 win against Migori Youth.

"Football is sweeter when it is played on the pitch," Omollo continued.

"Everyone has been affected by Covid-19 and we should by now have accepted that it is not going away anytime soon. The clubs that made it to the latter stages of the competition should be given a chance to play."

In an earlier interview, FKF CEO Barry Otieno had stated Kenya might not field a representative in the Caf Confederation Cup.

"We could not manage to give a name [of a club] for the competition because we don’t have rules which govern the domestic Cup [FKF Shield Cup]," Otieno told Goal.

"It was easier to submit Gor Mahia’s name for Champions League participation because we used rule six of the FKF statutes but in the domestic Cup we don’t have any rules that can be applied and that is why Kenya is likely to miss a representative next season."

Liverpool’s record-breaking title triumph has seen them earn a comparison to former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson, with Steve McMahon saluting the punching power of Jurgen Klopp’s side.

The Reds have been relentless in their march towards a first top-flight crown in 30 years, secured with seven games to go.

A 23-point lead at the summit has been established by swotting aside all before them, with 28 victories claimed from 31 outings. Rarely in the modern era has a side been so dominant, with Liverpool making amends for the pain they suffered last season in stunning style.

Former Reds midfielder McMahon, who captured three titles during his playing days at Anfield, has paid tribute to the well-oiled “machine” pieced together by Klopp, with few able to live with the strength of sporting colossus.

“We’ve seen from Manchester City and Liverpool that there are two ways to win the championship, and Liverpool are just so, so good, they’re just relentless,” McMahon told talkSPORT. “You wouldn’t want to take them on in a fight. They’re like Mike Tyson

“You’ve got Muhammad Ali who boxes his way through, and then you’ve got Mike Tyson who just punches his way, and that’s been Liverpool this season. City are wonderful to watch, but Liverpool are a machine.”

While acknowledging that Liverpool have been far and away the best side in English football this season, McMahon believes further reinforcement will be required in the next transfer window in order for the Reds to remain clear of the chasing pack.

The ex-England international added: “I don’t care what people say, Liverpool do need three or four top quality players. When you take anybody out of Liverpool’s side it weakens them.

“With City, you look at their bench and it actually makes them stronger when they make changes, and I don’t think Liverpool can afford to do that. When they make a change they’re not stronger, they’re actually a little bit weaker.

“The best time to buy is when you’re winning, when you’re up there. That’s always been Liverpool’s policy, when you’re good and when you’re really good, then buy and make you even better. This is the time to do so.

“I do believe Liverpool need to sign four or five players, they have to improve, they can’t stand still. Standing still is going backwards in the Premier League now. Man United will get better, Man City will get better, Chelsea are already getting better, so you’ve got to improve, you can’t stand still.”

Jurgen Klopp smiled as he re-lived the moment Liverpool were confirmed as Premier League champions on Thursday night.

The Reds boss held his first virtual conference since the club’s 19th top-flight title was secured, speaking to reporters via Zoom from Anfield. 

Klopp had watched Chelsea’s 2-1 win over Manchester City with his players at the Formby Hall golf resort near his home and, wearing a ‘Champions 19-20’ hoodie, he revealed he had video-called his family just before the final whistle at Stamford Bridge so he could share the moment.

“I called my family 10 seconds before the final whistle,” he said. “We had a Facetime call. I told them I loved them, they told me they loved me. We cannot be together, that was not nice, but that’s how it is. 

“Then I put the phone on the table and said ‘leave it on, because in four or five seconds something special will happen’. That was a really nice moment, which I enjoyed a lot.

“All the other messages, I don’t want to compare at the moment. They were great, all full of appreciation, respect, love, support, whatever. 

“Maybe I should use this opportunity to say sorry I cannot answer all of them, but I can read all of them. That’s what I will do in the next few days.”

Klopp had broken down when interviewed by Sky Sports immediately after Liverpool’s title win was confirmed, the emotion of the evening taking control.

A few hours later, though, he was able to reflect on his feelings with a little more clarity.

“I am happy,” he said. “Really happy. Relieved. 

“Last night I was overwhelmed obviously, but it’s a very good moment in my life. It’s a mix of everything. I know it is a really big achievement, and it was an incredible ride to get here. What the boys did in the time since I am here is just exceptional, and I am so happy for them that we could do that.”

He also paid tribute to the club’s supporters, whose backing he says has been key to Liverpool’s success, and to his backroom staff as well.

“I think the people had a really positive opinion of me when I came in, so that was really nice and helped a lot,” he said. “It gave us time to achieve the things we achieved in the past two-and-a-half, three years. 

“The people wanted to have their own history, like the players had to write their own history and stories. They were ready not to compare us too much with all these great, great figures in our club. They gave us time and we used the time pretty well. 

“It’s normal that people are positive about the manager of the team when you become champions, but the people know as well, like I know, how much it means to us and how important my coaches are.

“Without Pep, Peter, Vitor, John, Jack, Korny, Mona, Ray, Matt, Danielle, Julia and all the others, it would not be possible, and that’s the truth.  I am the face of it, but a lot of the work, the others do.”

Asked if he had ever doubted whether he could bring the title back to Anfield after such a long wait for the club, Klopp added: “Not doubts, but I didn’t know that it will happen because the other teams are so good. You have to change each year, bring new things, that’s how it is. A season is really long, you need to be lucky in some moments, especially with injuries, so you can never be sure. 

“I was never sure it will happen, but I knew we will become a really good football team. But others are pretty good as well.

“The consistency makes all the difference. We were good four years ago, we were really good three years, we were unbelievably good last year, the consistency we showed was incredible, and then smashing the record so far this season is absolutely exceptional, and second to none. 

“It’s all about the boys’ commitment, desire and understanding of the club’s heart and soul. That made it happen, and thankfully I am part of this.”

Christian Pulisic is hoping to end his debut season at Chelsea with a flourish, with the United States international having major silverware and Champions League qualification in his sights.

It appeared at one stage as though the 21-year-old would see his first campaign in English football fizzle out.

An untimely injury had kept him stuck on the sidelines since New Year’s Day as the games started to run out for the Blues.

A coronavirus-enforced break was, however, to come at a good time for the highly-rated forward as he was able to work on his fitness.

Pulisic has returned to action with a bang, as the Blues have as a collective, with the target found in back-to-back 2-1 victories over Aston Villa and Manchester City.

Frank Lampard’s side are now well placed to secure a top-four finish, while FA Cup glory is still up for grabs.

On his ambition, Pulisic told the club’s official website: “The break was tough on a lot of people but I’m just really happy that we can come back and play football again.

“It’s a bit different without the fans but we’re really excited to be back out there.

“There are a lot of games to play. We want to go as far as we can in the FA Cup and we want to continue finishing strong so we can be secure in a Champions League spot. We have a lot to play for.”

Pulisic opened the scoring for Chelsea in their heavyweight tussle with Manchester City.

His breakaway effort was cancelled out by a stunning Kevin De Bruyne free kick, but Willian had the final say from the penalty spot - after Fernandinho was sent off for handling on the goal line – as the Blues took all three points and handed the Premier League title to Liverpool.

Pulisic added: “We looked at this game against a big opponent and we wanted to win it.

“We were at home, obviously in slightly different circumstances, but we’re happy that we came out and got a really good result.

“We have to capitalise on opportunities. I had another one in the second half as well [which was cleared off the line by Kyle Walker] but I’m just happy to help the team out by scoring. We needed it and we’re just happy to get the three points.

“We went into the game with a really confident mindset to go out and win. Obviously we want to finish the season strongly but we feel we’re capable of a lot more as well.”

Chelsea are now five points clear of fifth-placed Manchester United in the table, while they are only one back on Leicester and will be starting to look forward rather than over their shoulder.

Andy Robertson is already planning to spend the rest of his career at Liverpool, with the Scottish full-back asking why anyone would want to leave the newly-crowned Premier League champions.

The 26-year-old defender has admitted in the recent past that he would find it difficult to turn down any opportunity to link up with boyhood club Celtic.

It may, however, be that any plans to return to Glasgow are shelved given that there is still much for Robertson to achieve at Anfield.

He is now a European, world and English title winner with the Reds, with a prominent role played in the ending of a 30-year wait for top-flight glory on Merseyside.

With Liverpool enjoying a return to the top of domestic, continental and global games, Robertson admits he would welcome the opportunity to see out his playing days in his current surroundings.

“That’s my plan,” he told talkSPORT.

“Whether I’m good enough at 33 or 34 to continue to do that, we’ll wait and see.

“But I don’t want to go anywhere, this club is so special to me in a short space of time. My family love it, I love it and I don’t want to go anywhere else.

“There’s no better team in the world just now than Liverpool, and why would any of us want to leave?

“We’ve got a young squad and we’ve got to be looking at the next five years to try and add more and more trophies.

“To start with the big two is always good and it gives us the freedom to go and add to it now, because the feeling of being champions is amazing and we don’t want it to be a one-off, we want that all the time.

“That’s what will drive us forward next season and the seasons after.

“It’s been an incredible journey for me, but I’m always one who looks forward and not back, so I’m looking to add more trophies at Liverpool. Hopefully next season we can win a couple more.”

Liverpool snapped Robertson up from Hull City for just £8 million ($10m) in the summer of 2017, with the flying full-back one of several players to have flourished under the guidance of Klopp.

“He’s like a father figure. He is the dad to all of us when we’re away,” Robertson added on his charismatic boss.

“We can have a laugh with him but he knows when to get the lads going, he knows when to motivate us and how to motivate us.”

Arsenal have revealed that Gabriel Martinelli will not figure for them again this season, with a knee injury bringing his campaign to a premature conclusion.

The Brazilian youngster has enjoyed a productive first year at Emirates Stadium.

Little was known of the promising forward when he arrived in north London from Ituano in the summer of 2019.

He quickly made his presence known, though, with the 19-year-old proving to be a rare positive in what has been another testing season for most on Arsenal’s books.

Martinelli has scored 10 goals through 26 appearances in all competitions, but he will be denied the opportunity to add to that tally after an unfortunate problem picked up in training will keep him on the sidelines.

The highly-rated South American had been hoping to pick up where he left off when the green light was given for competitive football to return, but he has been forced onto the treatment table.

Mikel Arteta will now have to make do with the other attacking options at his disposal for the remainder of a fixture list that includes Premier League and FA Cup outings.

Arsenal’s latest fitness update on their official website said of Martinelli’s condition: “Left knee. Sustained injury during training on 21 June.

“Successful arthroscopic procedure undertaken to repair a lesion in the cartilage of the left knee. Will not be available for the current schedule of remaining 2019-20 matches.”

While having to report bad news when it comes to Martinelli, the outlook is more positive for the Gunners when it comes to Lucas Torreira.

They said of the combative Uruguayan midfielder: “Right ankle. Sustained fracture to right ankle during Portsmouth (a) on 2 March.

“Progressing well and aiming to return to full training in the forthcoming days.”

Arsenal have also reported that Cedric Soares, who has extended his loan spell from Southampton through to the end of the 2019-20 campaign, has recovered from a broken nose to come into contention for minutes in an FA Cup quarter-final clash with Sheffield United.

Kieran Tierney will also be available for that encounter after shaking off the cramps which troubled him during a 2-0 win over Southampton.

Pablo Mari is one of the club’s long-term absentees, with his update reading: “Left ankle. Sustained significant sprain to ankle ligaments during Manchester City (a) on Wednesday.

“Has had a successful procedure to the injury this week. Aiming to return to full training in two to three months.”

Bernd Leno is also facing up to an extended spell out of action, with the German goalkeeper having been laid low during a frustrating defeat at Brighton.

Arsenal reported on their first-choice shot-stopper: “Right knee. Sustained moderate ligament sprain during Brighton & Hove (a) on 20 June.

“Aiming to return to full training in four to six weeks.”

Liverpool may be revelling in a Premier League title triumph, but Graeme Souness says a star-studded squad will be “angry” at having not won more when at the peak of their powers.

There is still time for Jurgen Klopp’s record-breaking side to add to their medal collection.

They have already savoured Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup success over the course of the last year.

A first English top-flight crown in 30 years has now been added to the roll of honour, with the Reds proving to be a dominant force on a domestic scene in 2019-20.

They have, however, experienced plenty of trophy pain in the recent past, with final heartache suffered in the League Cup and Europa League while also falling agonisingly short in a 2018-19 title bid.

Souness, who collected 11 major honours during his playing days at Anfield, is delighted to see Liverpool thriving once again, but feels they could have achieved even more.

The Reds legend told Sky Sports: “They won the Champions League last year and now they have won the Premier League title, but I still think Jurgen Klopp will look back at this period and feel they should have won more than two major trophies.

“Okay, there was the Club World Cup as well, but to have been so good and so consistent and yet only won two big trophies, I think the players have got to be a bit angry at themselves about that.

“The challenge for them now is to win the big trophies consistently and establish prolonged dominance like the Liverpool teams of the past.

“In five years, if they have dominated the Premier League, if they have dominated the Champions League, then they can be considered as good as any team Liverpool has ever had. But to become a legendary team, you’ve got to become serial winners.”

Liverpool are well set to establish another dynasty on Merseyside, with many of their key men at a perfect age in which to take their games to even greater heights.

Souness hopes to see them deliver on that promise, adding: “What I would say is that, given the ages of the players in that Liverpool squad now, given where they are, given the manager they’ve got and the structure in place around the team, they have the potential to go on and become serial winners.

“These players, especially the goalkeeper and the defenders, could play together for another five years easily. That is a great place to be in, knowing you’ve got that foundation.

“The signings they have made have been off the charts and Jurgen deserves huge credit for the work he has done.”