Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp refused to countenance the suggestion his side might be Premier League title contenders following their impressive 2-1 victory at Chelsea.
Dejan Lovren's close-range volley and Jordan Henderson's sublime 25-yard curler earned Liverpool victory at Stamford Bridge on Friday, with Diego Costa replying for the home side.
Liverpool have also beaten Arsenal and defending champions Leicester City this season, but Klopp was no more willing to discuss their title chances than he had been after their 3-1 win here last October.
"I'm really not interested," he told a reporter in the Stamford Bridge press conference room when asked about Liverpool's title prospects.
"Someone asked me that when we won 3-1 last season against Chelsea. My answer was: 'Are you crazy?' I remember it.
"I learnt a little bit about the English (media). We have 10 points. That's fantastic. I'm really happy after these difficult fixtures.
"We know we can play good football, we're convinced about our quality. We just have to do it every week, or every three days."
The only blot on Liverpool's league record so far was their surprise 2-0 defeat at promoted Burnley, which was followed by a 1-1 draw at Tottenham Hotspur.
Liverpool's performance on Friday was notable for its intensity, with midfielders Sadio Mane, Adam Lallana, Georginio Wijnaldum and Henderson helping to prevent Chelsea gaining a foothold in the game.
Klopp was dismissive when it was put to him that his players might struggle to sustain such a rhythm and said their dominance of possession in the first half had actually helped them save energy.
"I've managed for 16 years and I get asked that all the time," said the German, whose side visit second-tier Derby County in the League Cup on Tuesday.
"It's not about intensity. It's about finding a solution for the opponent. In the first half it was not that intense.
"We had the ball, so it's about movement, playing football simply. We can come through the lines by running.
"The most intense football is if you make a mistake and have to run in the wrong direction, as we did for their goal. We have to improve, but we don't run like crazy all the time."
- 'Feel the danger' -
Chelsea manager Antonio Conte handed a second debut to Brazilian centre-back David Luiz, who returned to the club on transfer deadline day after two seasons at Paris Saint-Germain.
It was Conte's first defeat as Chelsea manager and the first time he had seen one of his teams beaten at home in a league game since Juventus lost 2-1 to Sampdoria in January 2013.
The former Italy manager said both of Liverpool's goals had been the result of defensive inattention from his players.
Philippe Coutinho was allowed to take a short free-kick before crossing for Lovren to put Liverpool in front in the 17th minute, while Henderson's goal stemmed from a throw-in.
Chelsea slumped to a disappointing 10th-place finish last season and Conte warned his players they risk meeting a similar fate this term if they do not sharpen up.
"I don't want to repeat a bad season like last year," he said.
"I don't want that. For this reason we must pay attention in every single moment of the game, in every minute.
"I'm the coach, so I must work more on this aspect. Now, it's not enough. Because this is not the first time this has happened.
"We must feel the danger in every single moment of the game, if we want to win and think like a great team.
"Chelsea is a great team, but we must show this in every single game, to pay attention and be focused."
Chelsea were without captain John Terry, who damaged ankle ligaments in last weekend's 2-2 draw at Swansea City.
Conte said he did not know if the centre-back would be fit for the mid-week League Cup tie at Leicester.
AFP
Sat Sep 17 2016
Liverpool's German manager Jurgen Klopp geatures as he watches his players warm up ahead of the English Premier League football match between Chelsea and Liverpool at Stamford Bridge in London on September 16, 2016. / AFP PHOTO
[COLUMNIST] Building more highways won’t solve traffic congestion - reducing demand will
It is clear that adding more lanes and highways doesn't work, because we are still attempting the same approach to solve the issue.
Hyundai to invest RM2.16 bil in Malaysia through strategic partnership with INOKOM
This investment includes efforts to upgrade INOKOM's existing assembly capacity to meet Hyundai's automotive needs.
‘C4Cinta’ sets record as highest-grossing Malaysian Tamil film
'C4Cinta', directed by young filmmaker Karthik Shamalan, has set a new benchmark in Malaysian Tamil cinema.
Man charged with mother's murder, storing body in freezer
The court denied bail and scheduled case mention on Feb 7 for the submission of forensic, autopsy, and chemist reports.
Abolition of examination in schools to reduce pressure on pupils - Fadhlina
The classroom assessment approach offers a much more interesting learning ecosystem, says Fadhlina Sidek.
Google, Meta urge Australia to delay bill on social media ban for children
Google and Meta says the government should wait for the results of an age-verification trial before going ahead.
Judge tosses Trump 2020 election case after prosecutors' request
It represents a big legal victory for Donald Trump, who won the Nov. 5 US election and is set to return to office on Jan. 20.
DHL plane crash in Lithuania leaves authorities searching for answers
Rescue services said the plane hit the ground, split into pieces and slid over 100 metres (110 yards).
National squad to hold friendly matches for 2025 Indoor Hockey World Cup
The warm-up matches will involve matches against better ranked teams in the world, namely Austria (first) and Belgium (third).
G7 seeks unity on ICC arrest warrant for Netanyahu
The United States, part of the G7, has rejected the ICC decision, with President Joe Biden describing it as outrageous.
Francissca Peter remembers Tan Sri Ahmad Nawab: A tribute to a musical legend
A legend who has influenced our music for decades, was one of the highlights of my career, says Francissca Peter.
TikTok decision coming soon as Jan. 19 divestment deadline looms
Judges are reviewing TikTok's challenge to a law requiring ByteDance to sell its US assets by Jan. 19 or face a ban.
Lebanese sources: Biden, Macron set to announce Israel-Hezbollah truce
In Washington, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said, "We're close" but "nothing is done until everything is done".
PM meets chaebol tycoon to attract more FDI to Malaysia
Chaebols are prominent figures from South Korea's family-owned conglomerates.
Govt won't allow non-citizen vehicles to enjoy RON95 subsidy - Economy Ministry
The implementation of the RON95 subsidy in 2025 is expected to provide savings of RM3.6 billion to government expenditure.
Ringgit opens lower as greenback gains ground
Dr Mohd Afzanizam says the market responded positively to news of hedge fund manager Scott Bessent heading the US Treasury Department.
Management of low-cost housing, gov't quarters, focus at Dewan Rakyat today
Also among the highlights, UNICEF report on 12.3pct of teenagers in Klang Valley's PPR face mental health issues and suicidal tendencies.
UN Resolution 1701, cornerstone of any Israel-Hezbollah truce
Here are the resolution's main terms, and a note about subsequent violations and tensions.
Record aid worker deaths in 2024 in 'era of impunity', UN says
So far this year there have been 281 aid worker victims, according to the Aid Worker Security database.
Why India's toxic farm fire counting method is disputed
Here's how India counts farm fires - a major contributor to severe pollution in the north - and why its method is being questioned.