Jurgen Klopp admits that Liverpool may have got the preparations wrong for the final game against Manchester City.
The sides will meet again on Sunday (16:30 GMT) at Etihad Stadium with Liverpool, who know a win will bring them back to the top of the table.
“It was the first time we won the league, so I had no idea how to prepare for the next game,” said Reds boss Klopp.
“I didn’t mean to overdo it and say, ‘Forget what happened three days ago – now it’s city and we can show the whole world’.
“I’m not sure if that was right or wrong. I know my boys wanted to win this game, but we weren’t as focused as we normally are in these games.”
Liverpool are currently behind leaders Southampton in terms of goal difference with City in eleventh place with five points.
Klopp has beaten Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola more than any other manager – with nine wins in 19 games, including in Germany, where they managed Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich.
“We should meet a lot more often, but I’m glad we don’t because of the quality of his teams,” said Klopp.
“I don’t know of any records but I knew we’d meet from time to time and not all of us lost, but the games were incredibly difficult.”
“Sterling is an exceptional player” – Guardiola
City boss Guardiola, who worked with Lionel Messi in Barcelona, says Raheem Sterling is one of the best players he’s ever managed.
The 25-year-old, who joined City from Liverpool in 2015, has scored five goals in 11 games for his club this season.
“I think he is a better player than he was when he arrived and hopefully in four years he will be a better player than he is now. I think he is an exceptional player,” said Guardiola.
“He’s been playing all these minutes because of his physicality and [on Sunday] he will be back.
“Of course there will be a moment when he will rest, but right now he’s such an important player for us so we can’t give it.”
“He’s one of the [most] fantastic players I’ve ever had in my managerial career. “
