Richard Buxton: EPL title the priority for Klopp, says Riedle

The hunter has become the hunted in this season's English Premier League title race.

Liverpool have edged clear in the battle for domestic superiority over Manchester City - albeit by a point - after being perennially among the chasing pack.

Staying up there, however, remains easier said than done.

EPL

LIVERPOOL

MAN UNITED

An unbeaten 16-game streak will have to stand up to fresh scrutiny when Manchester United visit Anfield on Sunday.

League victories over their Old Trafford adversaries have been hard to come by since they last challenged for the title in 2014.

No manager currently enjoys a better record against the Reds than Jose Mourinho either, with the beleaguered Portuguese yet to lose in any of his previous four meetings.

Pep Guardiola's side, meanwhile, are showing signs of cracking after last weekend's defeat by Chelsea allowed Liverpool to overtake the reigning champions.

Former Liverpool striker Karl-Heinz Riedle believes that while City remain the greatest obstacle to Merseyside's 29-year wait for the Holy Grail, his countryman Juergen Klopp is well-equipped to handle the pressure.

"The problem for him in winning the Premier League is that City were so dominating the last two or three years, " Riedle told The New Paper in an exclusive interview in Dortmund.

"But you never know, let's have a look at the end of the season. Liverpool have a good team and they have a fantastic coach in Juergen Klopp.

"There's a long way to go, but even City, he knows how to beat them in the last few years.

"This season, Liverpool look like they're not losing easy games that maybe they lost in the past. So from this point, it looks quite good for them."

Progress into the Champions League's Round of 16 may see Liverpool fighting on two fronts later in the season, but Riedle believes that Klopp should make a binary choice.

"It's very hard but for Juergen, it would be an unbelievable thing if he could win the Premier League this season," he added.

"Even there, it's a very long time to go.

"I think his main objective this season is definitely to win the Premier League.

"If he has to decide, Champions League or Premier League, (he should) definitely go for the Premier League."

AMBASSADOR

Although Riedle's place in Anfield history has been largely glossed over, his stock remains high at another former club in Borussia Dortmund, where he is now an international ambassador.

If he has to decide, Champions League or Premier League, (he should) definitely go for the Premier League Former Liverpool striker Karl-Heinz Riedle on Klopp

The ex-Germany striker, 53, scored twice for the current Bundesliga leaders in their 1997 Champions League final triumph, but also has fond memories of his clashes with Man United.

"Playing against Manchester United was always a big thing. It's like here (in Dortmund) playing against Bayern Munich," he said.

"Man United this season are not any more the same club they were years ago when they won the title every year.

"Now City are dominating."

United's continuing demise saw them slump to second place in their Champions League group, and the 20-time English champions remain 16 points off the pace in the EPL .

It is a far cry from the club that dominated the EPL during Riedle's stint at Liverpool from 1997-1999.

"They (City) bring the best players in but even Man United have the money to bring them in," he said.

"But they didn't have the same luck or same quality at the moment. Even the coach is fantastic at Man City. It's hard to beat them this season."