Jurgen Klopp has been speaking to the media ahead of Liverpool’s huge blockbuster clash against Manchester City.
The Premier League’s top two meet at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday afternoon – exclusively live on talkSPORT.
The Reds head into the match against their rivals off the back of a 3-0 win against Brentford before the international break.
They are unbeaten in five league games and have the chance to move to the top of the table with a statement win.
Klopp has discussed Man City, the partnership between Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez as well as Everton’s point deduction…
On Manchester City
“Saturday is a tough one, it’s the strongest team in the World for the last few years.
“Our record [at the Etihad] is not great you will tell me!
“They are extremely strong, nothing I can say makes them weaker otherwise I would say it on repeat. Last year is just a memory.
“If we make it uncomfortable we have a chance. If they are comfortable in their game, no team has a chance.
“It feels like we are a bit closer [this season] but we need to win decisive battles on the pitch.”
Klopp knows how good Man City can beAFPOn rivalry
“Is the rivalry the biggest? I don’t know but it’s the toughest game you can play for years.
“The fans will decide the rival but football-wise we needed time to become a rival on the pitch. Big games.”
On Salah and Nunez’s partnership
“You can’t become a Liverpool player if you’re not football-smart.
“Darwin and Mo look for each other but it’s not like they cut out the other boys. It’s just a different way of playing.
“Mo supports the boys. Darwin came here, big expectations, and Mo probably understood the situation best and saw his potential and wanted to help him.
“Without having the longest conversation, that was for sure the start of a pretty special partnership.”
On Salah still improving
“Of course [Salah] can improve and we expect it from him, why wouldn’t he be first in, last out if he didn’t want to improve?
“He’s gained that experience that he knows much more about the game.
“A different player to the boy who arrived and he was good that day too.”
Salah and Nunez have created 19 chances for each other this seasonGettyOn Alexis Mac Allister as a No.6
“I understand why people ask about positions, but it’s about how the team is set up.
“Is Macca a natural born six? No. Has football developed in the last few years in ways we wouldn’t have imagined? Yes. Does that mean Macca can play six? Yes.
“But it depends how the whole team defends. Do you want someone there who is just knocking players over?
|I like him there a lot. We can benefit a lot from it if we have a compact formation.”
On Everton’s point deduction
“I am not ‘in’ the subject. I heard about 10 points [deduction] and I have heard they have appealed.
“That’s it. Everybody would do that [appeal], probably. That’s all I can say about that.”
On availability of international players
“Everyone came back from international break [in form], so we have decisions to make.
“We will look in their eyes, talk to them and make the decisions. They all had a good international break.
“Nunez is in a good moment, we want to use him as often as possible.”
