LONDON (AFP) - Jurgen Klopp said on Friday (July 3) that Liverpool will learn from their 4-0 thumping by Manchester City, praising his side for their attitude despite the punishing defeat for the newly crowned Premier League champions.

The Reds came back down to earth with a bump at the Etihad Stadium on Thursday in their first match since securing the title last week.

Klopp's side, who host struggling Aston Villa on Sunday, still have a 20-point lead over Pep Guardiola's second-placed team and have City's record of 100 points from 2017/18 in their sights.

The German manager, whose team have lost just three Premier League games in the past two seasons, said they would learn from their defeat.

"So far we always used (defeats) for the next games and if you think about things we didn't do well, in this department we have to show a reaction," he said.

"The reaction doesn't mean we have to change anything, we just have to be spot on in these moments and we cannot switch off."

He added: "Do we have to lose 4-0 to learn that? I'm not sure, but it can help. It makes the point absolutely clear. We will try again to use the information from last night."

Liverpool started brightly against City, with Mohamed Salah testing Ederson and then hitting the post, but the hosts took charge after Kevin De Bruyne opened the scoring from the penalty spot on 25 minutes.

Further goals came from Raheem Sterling and Phil Foden before Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain put a Sterling shot into his own net.

Klopp said his side, who have 86 points, would have to refocus for the last six matches of the season.

"We have to really dig in in this situation," he said. And that's what I liked about the game last night as well. The attitude was brilliant. We were really fighting, the desire was there, it was all there."

He added: "We have six football games and we felt last night how difficult it is but it's still incredible that we are in the position," he added.

"And I saw last night how we did it, with the desire, the greed. That's why we are where we are and we will not stop being like this."

Liverpool fans have been urged to support the team from their homes as the club and city leaders seek to avoid a repeat of last week's mass gatherings during the coronavirus crisis.

Chief executive officer Peter Moore said: "We are delighted to have won this title, but as the manager has said, we will come together to celebrate properly - only when it is safe and secure to do so."