Jürgen Klopp and Liverpool FC smell morning air in the race for the Champions League places. Now a difficult test awaits in the duel with Manchester United. Before the giant duel, the German coach rediscovered a relaxed attitude and was laughed at for his firework display.
Jürgen Klopp presented himself in absolute derby form. The Liverpool FC team manager announced a big fight for Manchester United, dishing out quick-witted shots and letting his charismatic laugh echo throughout the press conference room. “My biggest motivation for a win is that I don’t have to look at your faces and answer all the pretty stupid questions afterwards,” said the 55-year-old, smiling at the journalists present – and earned a lot of laughter for his teasing in front of the North West Derby on Sunday (5.30 p.m. / Sky and in the live ticker on ntv.de) against the reinvigorated rival.
With his ease, the star coach wiped aside the tension before a game that is already difficult for reasons of prestige. Record champions United (20 titles) with long-time rivals Liverpool (19) – a duel that electrifies. “The whole world will watch it, I would watch it if I wasn’t here and I’m really looking forward to it,” said Klopp: “It’s the game, it’s huge.”
Huge possibly also in its effects on the current season. Liverpool recently took ten out of a possible twelve points in the Premier League after a difficult season and have the chance to move closer to the Champions League places. The deficit before the weekend is six points. United, newly crowned League Cup winners and now, according to Klopp, a “results machine” under team manager Erik ten Hag, wants to close the gap to the top with Arsenal and Manchester City.
“Yes, they are playing a better season than us. But thank God that doesn’t matter for Sunday,” said Klopp: “And we have to show that it’s not fun for them to play against us.” The form curve at the LFC has recently been upwards, but the extremely painful relapse of the 2:5 defeat in the premier class against Real Madrid has not yet been completely erased from people’s minds. “I want to get everything out of the season and finish it as well as possible,” said Klopp. “Anything is possible. We just have to make sure that we’re 100 percent ready and want it more than the other guys.”
