Jurgen Klopp claims Liverpool are 'good enough to be top of the table'

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp believes his team are "good enough to be top" but only if they manage to add consistency to their performances.

The Reds beat Huddersfield 3-0 on Saturday (28 October), securing their first Manchester City since September and moving up to sixth in the table but remain 12 points behind top-of-the-table Manchester City .

It was a much needed boost for the five-time European Cup winners, who were humbled at Wembley a week ago, when they lost to Tottenham Hotspur 4-1.

Liverpool, who hope to move a step closer to qualify for the round of 16 of the Champions League when they host Slovenian minnows Maribor on Wednesday night (1 November), were top of the table in November last year.

Klopp conceded that his side were "ahead of schedule" when they led the league 12 months ago, but believes they proved they are good enough to be challenge their main rivals.

"Top of the table was a wonderful moment, we played wonderful football - and we've played sometimes wonderful football this season too," he was quoted as saying by Sky Sports.

"But we need to be lucky too. We are able to perform on the highest level. But now we have to find consistency."

Liverpool's quest for an elusive first league title in 26 years might be all but over before November has even begun, but Klopp remained adamant about his side's chances of success this season.

"Do I still think it's possible [to be top]? Yes, 100%," he added.

"But I know too it takes time. That's it. The boys are good enough. The problem is that here the moment things don't work out, we get compared with the past."

Saturday's win against Huddersfield was also the fourth time in five Premier League games Liverpool have kept a clean sheet at Anfield this season, a solidity that has been miss sorely missed away from home, where they have conceded 15 times.

While admitting his side's defensive issues, Klopp insisted there was only marginal room for improvement as he would not be able to bolster his rearguard options until the January transfer window.

"What you [the media] said before the season is immediately the truth: we need to fix the defence," he explained.

"Yeah, but it's the middle of the season! We can only fix it on the training pitch."

During Liverpool's defeat against Spurs, Klopp replaced Dejan Lovren with only half-an-hour played after the Croatian endured a torrid start to the game and was at fault for Tottenham's first two goals.

The timing of the substitution and Klopp's comments after the game, when he claimed he would not have made similar mistakes had he been playing, were heavily scrutinised by the media, with some suggesting the German had thrown the defender "under a bus".

However, the Liverpool manager insisted the constant scrutiny of his players was part of the problem.

"The only thing the people around do is weaken the players by saying, 'You are not good enough.' It's a little bit of a problem," he added.

"We all have problems. That's how it is - apart from Manchester City obviously at the moment. At the moment they are the best team in the league."