Football: Klopp warns Liverpool to be ready as he expects Hammers to fight tooth and nail

LONDON • A victory for Liverpool today will increase their near unassailable lead at the top of the Premier League to 19 points, but Jurgen Klopp is taking nothing for granted.

His players travel to the London Stadium for their game in hand, but with West Ham in 17th-place, and above the relegation zone only on goal difference, the Reds manager is expecting a scrappy game.

At his pre-match press conference yesterday, Klopp warned his side they had to "set the intensity level" from the opening whistle.

"West Ham fight for the league and that is what it looks like. A big fight," he said. "Four or five at the back, different possibilities but we have to be ready. They have no time to waste. It will be just a tough one. We can do what we have to do.

"(Michail) Antonio and (Manuel) Lanzini could play and it will be tough, but that is what the Premier League is all about."

Despite Liverpool riding on the wave of a 40-game unbeaten run - nine shy of Arsenal's record - and having amassed 67 points from 69 this campaign, Klopp's cautious mood perhaps comes from the absence of key forward Sadio Mane.

Confirming the Senegalese - Liverpool's joint-top scorer in the league with 11 goals - had suffered an injury, the German said: "Sadio will not be involved for West Ham and probably not Southampton.

"After that, he will be back on track. He has a small muscle tear which is serious enough. We were lucky with it though it wasn't too serious. He's out for three games."

He was also adamant over his stance on FA Cup replays and his intention of picking an under-strength side. Klopp has drawn criticism for announcing that neither he nor his first-team players will be present for the fourth-round replay at home to third-tier Shrewsbury next Tuesday as it falls within the scheduled mid-season break.

Instead, the club will send out a youth team led by Under-23 coach Neil Critchley.

"If we react how we always react and find a way to do it, then nothing will change," Klopp said. "I have to make decisions that aren't popular, based on the situation we are in.

"Because we plan long-term, I cannot plan when there is a real decisive period coming up. I decided three weeks ago we would have a mid-season break based on a letter we got in April 2019.

"The FA (Football Association) tried to move games to midweek to decrease the intense period. Whoever was involved in that - maybe from us - they forgot to say no."

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

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WEST HAM V LIVERPOOL