Liverpool will not see repeat of ‘freakish’ 7-0 win over Man United: Jurgen Klopp
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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has urged his players to give it their all against Manchester United.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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LONDON – Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp believes that his side’s massive 7-0 English Premier League victory over Manchester United
Erik ten Hag’s United were flying high after winning the League Cup last campaign to end a six-year trophy drought but came crashing down to earth a week later when Liverpool handed them their worst defeat in 92 years.
“The 7-0 we knew on the day was a freakish result that happens once in a life, pretty much. And if it helps anybody for the next game, it’s the team who lost 7-0 and not the team who won 7-0, that’s another thing,” Klopp said.
“If you take it all out of consideration, then we just play a football game against the historical rival of Liverpool. That itself must make it a special game and that’s what I want to see from us, a special game. Really understand the situation and give your all, that’s all I need.”
Liverpool go into the weekend as Premier League leaders
Ten Hag is also under immense scrutiny after his side crashed out of Europe when they finished bottom of their Champions League group, but Klopp feels United are a stronger team when their backs are against the wall.
“I do not like all this talk around it. The more bad things people say about them, the stronger they will show up. That is always the case,” the Liverpool boss said.
“I will make sure from our point of view that we will be 100 per cent focused on the right stuff.”
Having topped their Europa League group, Klopp rested key players for their final group fixture, a 2-1 loss at Union Saint-Gilloise. He said rotation was important with a League Cup quarter-final against West Ham United on Dec 20 and title rivals Arsenal visiting Anfield the following weekend.
“I’m not sure what the other schedules are but that is the worst you can get,” he said.
“From now on they are all finals, that’s how it is. December is always about getting through.”
Liverpool will be missing the injured Alexis Mac Allister, Joel Matip, Thiago Alcantara, Andy Robertson, Diogo Jota and Stefan Bajcetic.
Over in the United camp, ten Hag said his misfiring side can show they have learnt from last season’s humbling at Liverpool, insisting the future is bright for his beleaguered club.
With the exception of a 2-1 win at Old Trafford in August 2022, United’s recent record against Liverpool is dire – they have lost four of the past five meetings, conceding 21 goals and scoring only four.
The United boss, however, insisted his team would be highly motivated at Anfield, despite the trauma of last season.
“We know it is going to be tough, but I think every top footballer wants to have that challenge,” he said.
“Last season we take that in our memory but you also have to learn from it and on Sunday we can prove that. We go there and we will be confident from the start to the end. We have to fight there.”
Injury-hit United have had a wretched season so far – losing 12 of their 24 matches in all competitions. Last week they were embarrassed 3-0 at home by Bournemouth
But ten Hag said he was upbeat about the future.
“The future for Manchester United is very good if you see how many good players we have in the squad, how many good young players we have, but we have to develop that,” he added.
United captain Bruno Fernandes faced particular criticism after the Anfield annihilation and will miss the match after collecting a fifth booking of the season.
He joins a long list of absentees, including Lisandro Martinez, Casemiro and Tyrell Malacia. REUTERS, AFP
