Liverpool boss, Jurgen Klopp has insisted that the Reds are not out of the English Premier League title race and are within ‘punching distance’.

Klopp, who had previously claimed that Liverpool could not think about the title after a poor start, has now made a U-turn in his thoughts.

Liverpool are currently in the 6th position on the log behind Manchester United, Tottenham, Newcastle, Manchester City and Arsenal.

They are 15 points behind league leaders Arsenal after 14 games and will face Aston Villa on Boxing Day.

Speaking to the media ahead of Liverpool’s Premier League tie with Aston Villa on Monday evening, Klopp claimed the Reds are not too far from the leaders.

The German added that the recently concluded 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar had given confidence to a few players, and they will be raring to get back to winning ways.

“We obviously left a gap between us and the much more exciting spots in the table, but we consider ourselves at the moment within punching distance, and that means we’ve to chase, and that is what we will do,” said Klopp.

“All the players who are back from the World Cup now look really on it, that is very important.

“I think some of them could really gain confidence even when it probably wasn’t that low before, but a good World Cup, like for Hendo [Henderson], for example, is for sure helpful.

“So we’re really looking forward to what is coming up, but we know it’s intense. There are never guarantees out there, and I can imagine at Arsenal that everybody is buzzing to go again, [Manchester] City, you saw, they have expectations and ambitions.”