Defending Premier League title will be tough for Jurgen Klopp, warns Gary Neville

Liverpool dominated the 2019-20 season to lift their first Premier League title since 1990. On Wednesday, their captain Jordan Henderson will receive the most awaited trophy. In the process, he will become the first Reds captain since Alan Hansen to claim the honours. But before that happens, former footballer Gary Neville has a warning for them.

According to the 45-year-old football pundit, Jurgen Klopp and his men will find it heavily challenging to defend their Premier League title when they begin the next season later this year.

As Daily Mail reports, Neville also said that although Klopp has been instrumental behind the Reds' success in recent years, the German is nowhere near Alex Ferguson's level.

Neville said, "What Liverpool have done in the last three seasons is started to create an era. Klopp is going to have to whip that horse a little bit harder next season to let them know they cannot drop by two or three per cent because City and other clubs will be back at them again. City have shown them the standard, Liverpool have got there, now they have to maintain it. Manchester United had won back-to-back titles and a double in 1993/94 so the standards and scene had been set. Sir Alex continually did that over a period of 20 years."

However, Neville also praised Klopp for building a champion team despite not having the resources that Pep Guardiola had in Manchester City. According to the former Manchester United player, Klopp must win back-to-back titles to be included in the unique list of great coaches.

Before this year, Manchester City had won two consecutive Premier League titles. Guardiola became the first coach since Alex Ferguson to win back-to-back league titles. Under Ferguson's leadership, United won consecutive editions in 1996 and 1997, 1999 and 2000, and 2007, 2008 and 2009.

Indeed, winning consecutive titles isn't a regular phenomenon. Not all teams have the commitment required to achieve such an extraordinary feat. But two years ago, no one could have imagined that Guardiola's men will do it. In contrast, expectations will be high on Klopp to match his on-field rival, Guardiola's record. But how his team plays under pressure will decide if he could become a truly great coach.