Jürgen Klopp held his usual press conference leading up to a Premier League match on Friday afternoon. However, this weekend's match isn't a usual Premier League match. This week brings the defending Premier League champions, Manchester City to Anfield.
Kick-off is Sunday at 16:30 BST again but the Reds are once again involved in the match that will be the talk of the entire Premier League weekend. Klopp assessed City talked about Roberto Firmino's form and gave some time to the rout of Rangers during the week.
Rangers Destruction and What that Means for City
Klopp was asked if Liverpool's 7-1 blow-out win against Rangers on Wednesday in the Champions League helped the mood in the Reds' clubhouse. He said,” Of course it changed the mood, how couldn't it? But we are not, even when people think that maybe [we are], that dumb that we think that's the only thing we needed to beat Man City. Nothing really to do with that. We still have to figure out who is available after the Rangers game for the City game and then we will make a line-up and then we will go in there.”
Preparing for Earling Haaland and Manchester City
First up the gaffer talked about Manchester City's seeming unstoppable striker, Earling Haaland. On whether or not he had a ‘special plan' for the big Norwegian, “Special plans against Haaland? Like always, obviously when you play against, for sure in the moment, the best striker in the world, you have to make sure that he doesn't get that many balls – and that's what you have to defend before you come into the challenge with him, so that's what we will try.”
Later on, in the press conference, Klopp talked about what it takes to get ready to face Manchester City. “Football is all about closing down spaces, closing down players, having challenges in the right areas, these kinds of things. And with City, it's always if you close them down here, then they are there and if you close that gap, you open up that gap – because the pitch is so big and we only have 10 players to close all the gap. So, always a challenge.”
The Boss then talked about what it means to be playing this game at Anfield, “It's a home game, it's Anfield, it's us against Man City. Yes, they are in the moment, definitely, the best football team in the world, that's how it is, but we will give it a try anyway, knowing there are no guarantees. But we know we get help from a full Anfield and we try to use that.”
Roberto Firmino is Carrying the Reds
Klopp took some time to praise his best player at the moment. In an uneven season, Roberto Firmino has stood out as a player that has been ready to strike every single game. Klopp said, “Bobby is in a really good moment. I'm really, really happy for him, really, really happy for him. Even when it's for us obviously not the best moment we've ever had, it's helpful when these boys at least still know where the goal is.”
He then took a bit of a playful swipe at the rest of the Liverpool offence, “We just need to spread the goals a bit more to different games, let me say it like this! We should not focus on one, nine and then seven and then nil – but we know that. How I said, positive things always help all of us and footballers as well.”