Jurgen Klopp is preparing his team to take on Arsenal on Saturday evening (Picture: Getty Images)
Peter Schmeichel likes the mind games Jurgen Klopp has played with his own Liverpool players and fans, saying the German reminds him of legendary Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson.
Klopp made some interesting comments after Liverpool thrashed West Ham 5-1 in the Carabao Cup on quarter-finals on Wednesday, criticising the Anfield crowd.
‘I was not overly happy with the atmosphere behind me,’ Klopp said on Wednesday. ‘I wondered what they wanted.
‘We need Anfield on their toes without me being in argument with their coach or whatever. If you’re not in the right shape, give your ticket to someone else.’
Criticising his own fans was an interesting move, but Schmeichel reckons it was all a mind game, whipping up his own players to put on an even better show for the supporters.
The Reds have a huge game against Arsenal in the Premier League at Anfield on Saturday and the legendary goalkeeper believes Klopp has employed a Ferguson-esque tactic by talking about the fans.
‘He’s come out and he’s made it really important, not to the fans that they have to take part, but to the players, he’s made them understand who they’re playing for. They’re playing for the fans. The fans were not happy, even with five [goals],’ Schmeichel told Premier League Productions.
Peter Schmeichel spent eight years playing for Alex Ferguson at Manchester United (Picture: Getty Images)
‘It brings memories back of when I played for Ferguson. What’s important here? Who are we doing this for? Is it for us? Is it for our bank accounts? Is it for the house or the next car? No, we’re playing for the fans.
‘He’s gone out and said to the fans, if you’re not happy then give it to someone who is happy. But in reality he’s talking to his players and I think it was a really, really clever move.’
Asked about his comments at a press conference on Friday, Klopp explained: ‘I said give your ticket to someone else but people tell me it’s not that easy!
‘I didn’t mean it [literally]. I cannot change that. I said we need Anfield, that is 100 per cent true and I can’t wait for the first whistle.
‘Maybe I have to… I can tell our people, I don’t order atmospheres, we had two home games in a row and 62 [shots].
‘Imagine if we’d have scored [more]. It’s my feeling directly after the game. I turned around and missed a chance and people were flat.’
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