Klopp: Liverpool are a ‘a bit closer’ to Man City this season،
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp says his side are “a bit closer” to Manchester City this season but remains cautious about the strength of the Premier League champions ahead of their meeting on Saturday.
The last time the two teams met in the league, City won comfortably 4-1 at the Etihad Stadium and finished the season 22 points clear of Liverpool.
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But after refreshing the squad this summer, particularly in midfield with the arrivals of Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch, Klopp’s team now finds itself in second place, one point behind City.
“Saturday is a difficult day, this is the strongest team in the world in recent years. Our results [at the Etihad] It’s not great you might say! They are extremely strong, nothing I can say weakens them otherwise I would repeat it over and over again. Last year is just a memory,” Klopp said in his press conference on Friday.
“If we make things uncomfortable, we have a chance. If they’re comfortable in their game, no team has a chance. We feel like we’re a little bit closer. [this season] but we must win decisive battles on the ground.
“I’m far from sitting here and thinking ‘we’ve got City’. It’s not ‘City beware’. They’re extremely strong.”
The Merseyside club are the only team, apart from City, to have won the championship since 2018 and were crowned twice on the final day of the season by Pep Guardiola’s side.
Despite the ferocity of their past encounters, Klopp said he was unsure when asked if it was the Premier League’s biggest rivalry.
“Is the rivalry the biggest? I don’t know but it’s the toughest game we’ve played in years. The fans will decide the rival but in football terms we needed time to become a rival on the field,” he said.
Meanwhile, Liverpool announced in a statement on Thursday that the upper tier of the expanded Anfield Road End stand would be partially open for the visit of Manchester United on December 17.
The reopening is dependent on the club obtaining a license from Liverpool City Council after holding a public test event.
Liverpool also plan to have additional seats in the Anfield Road End stand for their home matches against West Ham United, Arsenal and Newcastle United.
Anfield’s capacity, which is currently 54,000, will increase to 61,000 once the expansion project is completed.
