Jurgen Klopp is not taking Manchester United lightly (Picture: Getty Images)
Jurgen Klopp says Liverpool’s thrashing of Manchester United last season was a ‘freak result’ and warns his team that they should expect the best of the Red Devils when they meet again at Anfield on Sunday.
A remarkable afternoon at Anfield in March saw the home side batter United 7-0, Liverpool’s biggest ever win over their old rivals.
That was a season in which Erik ten Hag’s side finished above Klopp’s but that is not looking likely this campaign, with Liverpool topping the Premier League table and Manchester United down in sixth.
However, despite the resounding win last time they met and with Manchester United in notably worse form than Liverpool, Klopp insists that nothing is guaranteed this weekend.
‘I never like when the headlines about United are not great before we play because it’s like “OK, then it is the game where they can put everything right”,’ said Klopp at a press conference on Friday.
‘I don’t follow United closely enough to know exactly what the problem is there but I saw Erik ten Hag was manager of the month last month and I saw they were the team in form in the last month so how can it be all wrong? I just don’t understand it.
‘And yes, the 7-0 we knew that day it was a freak result that happens once in a lifetime. If it helps anyone for the next game it is the team who lost 7-0 and not the team who won 7-0.
Liverpool enjoyed themselves last time Manchester United visited Anfield (Picture: Getty Images)
‘If you take it all out of consideration and just play a football game against the historical rival of Liverpool at home at Anfield and 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.’
Manchester United boss Ten Hag insists that his side hold no fears of Anfield and have not been left with scars from the 7-0 mauling last time round.
‘I haven’t seen last season we were scared there,’ said the Dutchman. ‘It was a bad experience, but it’s not similar, you start again.
‘Last year, the first half we played very decent and we got hammered just after half-time, then we collapsed. That can’t happen but it’s last year, it’s a different team and different players for a part at least. We won’t ignore it, but we’ll be confident and we have to fight, challenge and go there with the idea, to prepare to win.’
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