Due to the sinfully expensive new signings, the expectations from Liverpool are great. But the coach Jürgen Klopp brushes off the pressure in his usual casual way.

José Mourinho had fun. The coach of Manchester United was sitting with a grin on his face in a press conference - and teased Jürgen Klopp and Liverpool with pleasure. When United signed Paul Pogba for more than 100 million euros in the summer of 2016, Klopp said he would turn his back on football if such fees became normal. Before the upcoming Premier League season, the German coach now has both the most expensive defender and the most expensive goalkeeper in the world in his squad, purchased for the equivalent of 78.8 or 72.5 million euros respectively. "It's funny how people and their opinions can change," Mourinho said now happily, while also making an appeal to the journalists in the room: "Perhaps now you will finally demand to win the league from him."

Yes, Liverpool have hit hard on the transfer market. Over €180m has been spent for AS Roma goalkeeper Alisson Becker, midfielders Naby Keita from RB Leipzig, Fabinho from Monaco and Xherdan Shaqiri from Stoke City, who have been relegated from the Premier League. As of today, no club in England's top league has spent more money on new players. However, until the early end of the English transfer window next Thursday, there is still a lot to happen. For Liverpool fans, this must feel like a promise: Klopp and the United States consortium have apparently made big plans after the club finished fourth in the Premier League last season and reached the Champions League final. After years of deprivation, they dream of trophies again - of "silverware", as they say in England.

Klopp has lately brushed off the pressure in his usual casual way: "We do not care what the world around us tinks," he said during the US tour with Liverpool: "Just as Manchester United did not care at the time what I said. Did I change my mind? Yes. This is true. But it is better to change your mind than never to have one." In an interview with The Guardian, he later explained the strategy behind his new signings: "Of course, it's all about consistency. We're working on the depth of our squad, because we need it." Last season, Liverpool played 12 draws in 38 league games, much more than the rest of the teams in top six positions. With more rotation and personal flexibility during the long and physically exhausting season in England, it should now be better.

Another task will be to return to full-gear football from the previous season, which thrilled the audience at Anfield and beyond. Klopp's team made a tremendous effort to use high pressure, chase the opponents in their own half and crack them like a walnut after winning the ball. Perfect examples of this were the victories in the Champions League against Manchester City and Roma. Goalkeeper Alisson now joins Liverpool with the expectation to fit this aggressive system better than his German predecessor Loris Karius: The Brazilian is considered to be a playful goalkeeper, who often runs out of his goal to intercept rivals' attacks, and he knows how to start something with the ball at his feet. "The football we played last year was not easy," Klopp said. "We worked hard, and we'll do it again. I have no doubt that we will reach those basics again. "

Whether that will be true for his top attacking stars, remains to be seen: Mohamed Salah scored 44 goals in 52 games in his first season for Liverpool, Roberto Firmino was with 27 goals and 17 assists as strong as never, Sadio Mané also collected 20 goals and nine assists. These stats are not so easy to repeat.

In the run-up to the new season, Liverpool have played a handful of friendly matches, first against some under-class opponents, then against Borussia Dortmund (1-3), Manchester City (2-1) and Manchester United (4-1) in the United States. Saturday's 5-0 win over Napoli saw the debut of the new goalkeeper Alisson. The final test is scheduled for Tuesday against Torino. And on Sunday, the team starts in the Premier League-2018/19 with a home game against West Ham United. The Londoners, in their turn, have spent 95 million euros at the transfer market.

Despite his coolness, Klopp knows about the increased demands going into his fourth season at Liverpool. "I can not give any guarantees here," he told The Guardian, "but I understand why people think so." Looking at the supposedly easy season opener against West Ham, Crystal Palace, Brighton & Hove and Leicester City, he said : "I would like to have the best start ever. But we all know something can go wrong, and then everything will be questioned again." Liverpool have won their last English champion's title 28 years ago. None of the newcomers for this season was even born at that time.

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