uergen Klopp is refused to rule out Liverpool as Premier League title contenders after ending the year level on points with Manchester United and nine behind leaders Arsenal.
"I don't know," the manager told Sky Sports television after Liverpool, who last won a top-flight title in 1990, beat the struggling Sunderland 1-0 on Wednesday.
"You can see we have both 30 points. I think in this moment Liverpool feels not too bad and in Man Utd the atmosphere is not the best.
"We wanted at least 30 points, we got them. Perfect."
United have been seen as contenders for much of the season despite lacklustre performances but the heat is on manager Louis van Gaal whose side have gone eight games without a win.
Klopp, now with 11 league matches under his belt since arriving at Liverpool to replace the sacked Brendan Rodgers, said things were going in the right direction.
"I can do better, but of course I did sometimes worse in my life so everything's OK," said the German.
Liverpool have rebounded to form with one-goal wins over Leicester City and Sunderland since Christmas after collecting just one point from the three matches which preceded it.
Christian Benteke scored the only goal as Liverpool ended 2015 with a victory, leaving Sunderland in deep trouble.
Benteke netted early in the second half, running on to Adam Lallana's pass to neatly net from inside the area.
Vito Mannone made a stunning save to tip Liverpool midfielder Roberto Firmino's shot on to a post before pushing away the Brazilian's header.
Jermain Defoe forced Simon Mignolet into an excellent save, but Sunderland have now lost their past five games.
Fabio Borini also went close against his former side, shooting straight at Mignolet and striking an effort narrowly wide.
Back-to-back Benteke winners lift Liverpool
This was the Reds' second successive 1-0 win, having beaten Leicester by the same scoreline on Boxing Day, with Belgium striker Benteke the match-winner both times.
Since signing for £32m in the summer, the former Aston Villa man has not been a regular starter, but has now scored six times in seven games against Sunderland, more than against any other side.
But, having missed from close range against Leicester, he once again spurned a straightforward chance, running through on goal before striking at Mannone.
Liverpool were not at their best, but their control and another clean sheet will please boss Jurgen Klopp. His side moved up to seventh - level on points with Manchester United.
Sunderland have mountain to climb
The home side were much improved from their 4-1 defeat by Manchester City and looked confident in the opening 45 minutes, but once again their defensive frailties came to the fore.
They switched off straight after the interval, giving the ball away on the edge of the centre circle for Liverpool to break quickly and score just 22 seconds into the second half.
It means the Black Cats have conceded 38 goals in their 19 Premier League games this season - more than any other team - and are now seven points from safety.
Having had a bid accepted for Lorient centre-back Lamine Kone, manager Sam Allardyce will hope the Ivorian can help plug a leaky defence and raise the confidence of his lowly team.
Man of the match - Emre Can
What they said
Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce: "There is some encouragement - seeing the lads battling and fighting for themselves and trying to get a win or at least a point - but a bit of misfortune just after half-time took it away from us. I thought the lads tried their best and you can't ask for more than that."
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp: "It is not the best we can do, we know this, but we had to fight. We knew about Sunderland's situation. Everyone wants to end the year positively. We can and Sunderland can't but we take these points, go home, sleep two times and onto the next game."
What next?
Second-bottom Sunderland host bottom side Aston Villa on Saturday (15:00 GMT), while Liverpool travel to West Ham on the same day (12:45).
The stats you need to know
- Benteke's goal was the quickest second-half goal scored in the Premier League this season (22 seconds)
- Liverpool have won five games 1-0 this season, a Premier League joint-high along with West Brom
- Sunderland have taken just two points from their past seven Premier League meetings with Liverpool
- The Black Cats are now on their worst run of Premier League defeats since April 2014
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp branded 'soft German' by Sam Allardyce after Reds' win over Sunderland
The pair were embroiled in a furious row over Jeremain Lens' tackle on Mamadou Sakho during the clash on Wearside
urgen Klopp was branded a “soft German” in a bitter row with Sam Allardyce.
The Sunderland boss has risked an FA charge after a touchline row boiled over asLiverpool won thanks to second half Christian Benteke's strike.
Klopp and his backroom staff clashed with a finger-point Allardyce, after a bad tackle by Jeremain Lens on Mamadou Sakho in the second half.
Liverpool were cruising to victory after Benteke netted 22 seconds after the break.
It condemned Sunderland to a fifth consecutive defeat in December and Allardyce branded his side's losing form as “s****.”
Klopp was furious with the tackle saying it could have hurt his defender and asked if he was angry said: “Of course. This is a foul. That is not allowed. For me that is a red card, finished.
“So my staff were emotional, the staff of Sunderland were emotional. If you look on your ticket, it is included. If nothing happens on the pitch, you can watch the bench.”
Allardyce responded by claiming: “He’s a soft German if that’s a red card. It’s a yellow, a foul.
“There was some foul and abusive language towards my staff that I didn’t like. After the end, it was alright though, because we all shook hands and got on with it, which is what you’ve got to do.”
Klopp said of match winner Benteke, who got his 7th of the season: “A striker who scores the decisive goal is always a positive thing. I’m sure Christian knows he can play better.
"But in this moment, we need his goals more than anything else and he did it again, so we are really happy. It is the best news that there is more to come.”
“I am not too interested in how we won it. It is better if you decide a game early and things like this, but we are not in wonderland, where you can wait for the special moment. We have to work for the special moment.
“After half-time we scored and could have had a second one. We didn’t, so we had to concentrate until the end, but we deserved it.”
The win puts Liverpool seventh a five points off the Champions' League places.
Allardyce insisted Sunderland, who are second bottom and seven points adrift of safety, said his side didn't deserve to lose.
He said: “I saw the lads go out and giving me some encouragement, keep the shape of the side, keep your determination and play against £300m worth of talent and in some spells matched it.
“The only thing we need is somebody to put the ball in the back of the net and win a game to build the confidence.
“What you’ve got to do is play your best against Aston Villa next and win. That’s our real nerve tester now.
“We’ve got to be ready physically and mentally to make sure we’re the team that comes away with three points.”
LINEUP, BOOKINGS (4) & SUBSTITUTIONS (6)
Sunderland
- 25 Mannone
- 02 Jones
- 22 Coates (Yedlin - 72' )
- 05 Brown
- 03 van Aanholt
- 06 Cattermole
- 21 M'Vila
- 08 Rodwell (Watmore - 30' )
- 11 Johnson (Lens - 63' Booked )
- 18 Defoe
- 09 Borini
Substitutes
- 01 Pantilimon
- 17 Lens
- 19 Graham
- 20 Toivonen
- 24 Yedlin
- 31 Beadling
- 41 Watmore
Liverpool
- 22 Mignolet
- 02 Clyne
- 06 Lovren
- 17 Sakho
- 18 Moreno Booked
- 14 Henderson (Lucas - 61' )
- 23 Can Booked
- 20 Lallana
- 11 Firmino (K Touré - 93' )
- 10 Coutinho (Ibe - 83' )
- 09 Benteke Booked
Substitutes
- 04 K Touré
- 21 Lucas
- 33 Ibe
- 34 Bogdan
- 44 Smith
- 53 J. Teixeira
- 56 Randall
Ref: Kevin Friend
Att: 45,765
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