Jurgen Klopp dedicates title to Liverpool fans, former players and managers

Kenny Dalglish says Reds can expect "more happy days" under Klopp

Fans celebrate outside Anfield stadium after Liverpool were crowned champions on Thursday evening. EPA

A Liverpool fan celebrates winning the Premier League with a cut out of manager Jurgen Klopp outside Anfield after Chelsea won their match against Manchester City. Reuters

Fans celebrate Liverpool winning the Premier League title outside Anfield stadium following Chelsea's 2-1 victory over Manchester City. AFP

Fans celebrate Liverpool winning the Premier League title outside Anfield stadium. The Reds won the league title for the first time in three decades. AFP

Liverpool fans outside Anfield stadium on Thursday night. EPA

Liverpool fans celebrate their first Premier League title in 30 years outside Anfield stadium. EPA

Liverpool fans celebrate outside Anfield stadium. EPA

Fans celebrate Liverpool winning the Premier League title outside Anfield stadium. AFP

Liverpool fans celebrate their first Premier League title since 1990, when they triumphed under Kenny Dalglish. Getty

Fans celebrate at Anfield after Liverpool were crowned Premier League champions without kicking a ball on Thursday as Chelsea's 2-1 win over Manchester City ended the Reds' 30-year wait to win the English title. AFP

Fans celebrate Liverpool winning the Premier League title outside Anfield stadium. AFP

Liverpool fans celebrate the end of their 30-year wait for the Premier League title at the Anfield stadium. EPA

Fans celebrate Liverpool winning the Premier League title outside Anfield stadium on Thursday. AFP

Fans celebrate Liverpool winning the Premier League title outside Anfield stadium. AFP

Liverpool fans celebrate outside St George's Hall which is lit up red. PA

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp dedicated their first English league triumph in 30 years to the fans and also thanked the former players and managers who helped build the club.

Manchester City's 2-1 defeat by Chelsea on Thursday gave Liverpool an unassailable 23-point lead with seven Premier League games remaining.

"My message is: it's for you out there ... I hope you feel it," Klopp told the fans on Liverpool's website.

"It's for so many people. Kenny Dalglish and Graeme Souness spoke to me ... they were very positive. That's nice but it's thanks to them because this club is built on what they did.

"It's built ... on [Bill] Shankly, [Bob] Paisley and [Joe] Fagan and all the others, but on these players... Steven Gerrard – this club's built on, in the last 20 years, on Stevie's legs. He had to carry all the pressure. He did that exceptionally.

"The boys love being part of this club, they love being part of the story of this club and the history. It's so nice how we learned how to deal with the history, how we learned to use the history in the last two years."

Klopp said he had made sure everyone watched the match together.

"There was no alternative... we thought about it, shall we do something and then we thought maybe not compulsory, the boys have to drive a bit," Klopp added.

"Then I said, 'no, we have to make it compulsory, everybody has to be there,' because I'm more experienced... I know who will stay at home and watch it alone will regret it for the rest of his life."

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Liverpool season ratings

LIVERPOOL 2019/20 RATINGS: Jurgen Klopp - 9 out of 10: The likeable German deserves huge credit for overseeing the best start to any season by any team and delivered a first league title to Anfield in 30 years. Late goals were a feature of this Reds team often inspired by the manager's substitutions. PA

GOALKEEPERS: Alisson - 8: A campaign disrupted by injury but the Brazilian kept 10 clean sheets in 20 matches before the coronavirus-enforced shutdown, and another two since the restart. Continues to enhance his reputation as one of the world's best. Getty

Adrian - 6: The Spaniard endeared himself to the Anfield faithful by saving Tammy Abraham's penalty for Liverpool to lift the Uefa Super Cup in August. Had been a capable deputy for Alisson when called upon before his costly mistake contributed to Liverpool's Champions League last-16 exit to Atletico Madrid in March. Getty

Caoimhin Kelleher - 6: Young Irishman impressed in the cup competitions, making four appearances pre-lockdown. AFP

DEFENDERS: Virgil van Dijk - 9: Leads the league in passes to highlight his importance to Liverpool's attacking game but it's Van Dijk's defending that marks him out as a colossus. Few can lay claim to being the undisputed best in their position but there is no better central defender in world football than the Dutchman. EPA

Dejan Lovren - 6: The Croatian has slipped further down the centre-back pecking order with the emergence of Joe Gomez this season. Getty

Joe Gomez - 8: Powerful Englishman stepped up to the plate when Joel Matip suffered an injury early in the season. His performances earned him an England call up and it's no exaggeration to say he would have probably gone to this year's European Championship as one of Gareth Southgate's first-choice centre-backs. A big future ahead. Reuters

Andy Robertson - 8: One of the most accomplished left-backs in world football. An excellent defender who provides attacking impetus down the left-hand flank. Seven assists before lockdown and a crucial late goal in the 2-1 win over Aston Villa in November symbolic of team's never-say-die attitude. Getty

Joel Matip - 7: Injury and the form of Joe Gomez have limited the Cameroonian to only a handful of appearances. An underrated passer and still one of the club's most astute signings. Reuters

Trent Alexander-Arnold - 9: Already broken his own assists record for a defender with 16 pre-lockdown. Superb passer and his quality at set-pieces - as seen with his sublime goal in the win against Crystal Palace - is one of Liverpool's most potent weapons. Reuters

Sepp van den Berg - 5: Dutch defender, 18, is highly thought of at Anfield and impressed during the young side's League Cup run. Getty

Nathaniel Phillips - 5: The 23-year-old made one FA Cup appearances before being loaned to German club Stuttgart. AFP

Ki-Jana Hoever - 6: Stylish Dutch defender, 18, became the club's fourth youngest goalscorer when he netted in the League Cup win over MK Dons on September 25, 2019. Getty

Neco Williams - 5: Faces a tall order trying to dislodge Alexander-Arnold as first choice, but showed neat footwork and comfort on the ball as a replacement in the recent win over Crystal Palace to suggest a bright future. EPA

Nathaniel Clyne - NA: Once described as a 'machine' by Klopp, the right-back is yet to feature for the Reds this season and is sure to leave in the summer. Reuters

Curtis Jones - 7: Became Liverpool's youngest ever captain – at 19 years and 5 days – when he captained Liverpool's youngest ever first team side with an average age of 19 years and 102 days to a 1–0 victory over Shrewsbury in the FA Cup replay at Anfield. AP

MIDFIELDERS: Fabinho - 8: The Brazilian's defensive qualities help make the Liverpool machine work. Showed his development as an all-round player with a delightful chip and a scorching drive in the demolition of Palace. Hard to think Naby Keita was the more celebrated arrival at Anfield two years ago. Reuters

Georginio Wijnaldum - 7: Another productive campaign from the Dutch international is set to be rewarded with a new contract that will keep him at Anfield until 2024. EPA

James Milner - 7: Few are more dependable than the versatile Englishman. Used mainly from the bench this season but his energy and experience always add something to the team. Getty

Naby Keita - 5: The Guinea international has failed to hold down a regular starting place in almost two years at Anfield. Rumours that he will be used as part of a makeweight to bring Alessio Romagnoli to the club from AC Milan in the summer. Getty

Jordan Henderson - 8: No doubt the Liverpool captain is one of the finest midfielders around now. His drive, passing range and leadership make him one of the most important cogs in Klopp's team. PA

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain - 7: Emerged from serious injury that wiped out his 2018/19 season with some commanding performances for a demanding manager. Getty

Adam Lallana - 6: Klopp confirmed the former Southampton winger will leave the club at the end of the season. Mostly cameo appearances were highlighted by a last-gasp equaliser against Manchester United in October to maintain the club's unbeaten start. Getty Images

Xherdan Shaqiri - 6: Hard to accommodate the Swiss' talents in a team brimming with it in the forward positions. PA

Harvey Elliott - 6: Highly-skilled winger became the youngest player to start a match at Anfield, at the age of 16 years and 209 days, in the epic 5-5 League Cup draw against Arsenal having already become the club's youngest first-team player in the previous round against MK Dons. Reuters

FORWARDS: Roberto Firmino - 7: The Brazilian striker's goals return may be down - he is still yet to score at Anfield this term - but his import to Liverpool's attack is not. He still makes the front three work and still the hardest working No 9 in the league. Getty

Sadio Mane - 9: Fourteen league goals before lockdown and 19 in all competitions after a superb finish against Palace. The Senegalese has overtaken Mohamed Salah as Liverpool's best striker. Has been simply unplayable at times. Getty

Mohamed Salah - 9: Twenty goals across competitions pre-lockdown represents another impressive return from the Egyptian. His pace and skill are still a nightmare for opposition defences to counter. Even turned provider for his mate Mane in the demolition of Crystal Palace. Getty

Divock Origi - 6: Scored two goals as Liverpool beat Everton 5–2 in the December's Merseyside derby at Anfield to extend their unbeaten run in league football to 32 matches, which was a club record. Getty

Takumi Minamino - 5: Anyone would struggle to get in an attacking lineup boasting Firmino, Mane and Salah. The Japanese has been limited mostly to cup matches. Getty

PLAYERS ON LOAN: Loris Karius - 6: German cut short his two-year loan spell early at Turkish club Besiktas in April after his manager questioned his motivation following a string of poor performances. Has a deal until 2022 at Liverpool and may be retained as Alisson's understudy if Adrian is jettisoned. Getty

Harry Wilson - 7: The young midfielder has been one of the few shining lights in a struggling Bournemouth team. EPA

Marko Grujic - 7: Serb has spent the past two seasons at Hertha Berlin and seems his future lies away from Anfield. AFP

Sheyi Ojo - 5: Winger began his loan spell at Scottish side Rangers under Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard in impressive fashion but petered out before the Scottish league season was called off due to the Covid-19 crisis. Reuters

Ben Woodburn - 5: Midfielder has spent the season on loan at League One Oxford United. EPA

Rhian Brewster - 7: Striker, 20, made three first-team appearances for Liverpool before being loaned to Swansea in the second tier in January. Has scored six goals in 12 appearances and will hope to feature more prominently under Klopp in the future. Getty

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Meanwhile, Liverpool greats lauded Klopp's all-conquering team. Former manager Dalglish said Liverpool can expect "a lot more happy days" under Klopp. Dalglish was in charge of the club when they last won the title in 1990.

"If you would have said that, you would have been arrested and sectioned," Dalglish told BT Sport.

"Sometimes things happen, but certainly the last two years and since Juergen has come in it's been very positive. He's been fantastic and epitomises everything Liverpool stand for, he appreciates and respects everyone that works at the club.

"Whatever he gets he deserves. It's not a one-off because last year they came within a point of it, this year they've only lost one, drawn two. They won a club world championship, they won the Champions League last year as well.

"Onward and upwards and I think we've got a lot more happy days to come as long as Juergen's there."

Another Liverpool great, Souness, said Klopp had produced a "fabulous" side.

"It's not just about this season. This is a special team," Souness told Sky Sports.

"This is a team that nobody enjoys playing against... They give everything... when you combine that effort and the quality they have... they're some team."

Former defender Mark Lawrenson praised Klopp for not being daunted by the challenge.

"Juergen has... embraced Liverpool's past. After all, the past is why he came here. He knew what could be achieved and what is being achieved," Lawrenson wrote in The Times.