A NU STYLE
Klopp after major focus on system
JURGEN KLOPP says £85million striker Darwin Nunez IS NOT motivated by a top gun shootout with Erling Haaland for the Premier League Golden Boot.
But the Kop boss believes the race to be top scorer might well turn into an obsession for Nunez if Liverpool’s record buy is neck-and-neck with £51million Manchester City goal-machine Haaland during the title climax.
Haaland hit the ground running on his Premier League debut at West Ham, netting twice in a 2-0 victory.
Nunez was also off the mark on his debut at promoted Fulham, scoring Liverpool’s first in a 2-2 draw at Craven Cottage.
Neutrals are drooling at the prospect of a goal blitz from the duo as they slug it out for the Golden Boot.
Klopp, though, admits he doesn’t know the former Benfica striker well enough yet to know if he’s spurred on by a head-to-head rivalry with City’s Haaland (right).
But he’s seen enough of Nunez,
23, already to know the striker’s hunger for goals means he’ll do everything to return big numbers this season.
“I don’t know Darwin well enough yet but at the moment he is just concerned that he can score for us and set up goals for us or whatever,” said Klopp (right).
“I think at the moment he isn’t bothered about comparisons or rivalries, not at all.
“But if there was a situation towards the end of the season about goalscoring or
whatever then there could be, yes. I don’t think Mo Salah would look at that either yet. It was always clear that Haaland at City would work out.
“It’s a chance-producing side and he is a finisher so it was always clear and that is why it is not a surprise or whatever. “We just try to make sure that our football – the football idea we have – that it is obvious again and consistent all the time. “Because if we can do that it is still very uncomfortable to play against us and that is really my first concern.
“I hope that happens again because from there we can then start thinking about twists and tweaks and how we can do this and how we can improve.”