Anfield victory ‘virtually impossible for any team in the current game'
NEIL Warnock has admitted the chances of Cardiff City beating Liverpool are ‘virtually impossible,’ but has backed his team to be competitive against the high-flying Reds.
Cardiff head to Anfield today (3pm) on the back of their first Premier League win of the season – although they haven’t beaten Liverpool since 1959.
With Jurgen Klopp’s current crop unbeaten this season in league outings and boasting a formidable attack line in Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino, Cardiff’s chances look slim.
Asked about the prospect of taking on the Reds in their own backyard, Warnock said: “It’s massive. It’s virtually impossible for any team in the current game.
“I think the front three is probably the best around the world. We’ve all got to play at the top of our potential to give them a good game and hope they have an off day.
“But I think we can go there and cause problems.
“I hope the lads are looking forward to it, it’s a special place in football, a remarkable place.”
Cardiff have picked up just one point on the road so far this season and have been priced at extraordinarily long odds to claim victory on Merseyside.
Warnock noted that he’d seen the odds and added on Liverpool’s forward players: “If those three were injured, the next three aren’t bad either!
“You can only do so much as a coach.” Here’s what else Warnock had to say.
REFLECTIONS ON THE FULHAM WIN?
“It was pretty amazing, there’s been a lot of tension over the past few weeks because we’ve played well.
So it’s been disappointing not to get more points but they never let their heads drop. It was a great second 45 minutes.”
OUT OF THE BOTTOM THREE?
“Well, it’s never far from your thoughts, you are always looking at the bottom eight clubs.
One result that’s gone our way and we’re up there, so another couple of results and you don’t know where we are. We’ve had a tough run of fixtures, we’ve played everyone in the top six apart from Manchester United, but the crowd are behind us and that’s been very special.
When you look at the odds from day one, we’re supposed to finish bottom.
Especially when we haven’t spent the kind of money our rivals have. But you can have money, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to win things and stay up.”
ON JURGEN KLOPP
“I just like the way that he is. He cares, he is passionate and pulls some faces doesn’t he?
He’s created that team, he saw what weaknesses there were and shored that up. Yes he’s spent big money but he’s an exceptional manager and we’re very lucky to have the managers that we’ve got.”
WILL LIVERPOOL FEEL CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FATIGUE?
“I don’t think so, not with the top players. Someone said to me they’d rest Mo Salah and I said ‘what, when he’s got a chance of scoring five or six goals against us?’ He’s going to want to play, isn’t he?”
ON ARON GUNNARSSON
“He’s been very good for me because I’ve asked him to get ready for the Fulham game and at the moment we don’t expect him to be finishing a game. Tomorrow if he can give us another 65 to 70 minutes, I’d be delighted.”
ON VIRGIL VAN DIJK
“Liverpool have improved with the players they’ve brought in. I’m pleased to see Van Dijk doing so well because I think we could have bought him for £6million at Palace, but my scout said he was too slow!”
ON CALLUM PATERSON THE STRIKER
“People say his goal last week was a scrappy goal, but it’s a poacher’s goal.
All I want is people giving me everything and at the moment he’s the best option. I remember speaking to Callum about when I signed him as a full back and when he was 17 he played up front for a few games, scored a couple of goals for Dundee and that’s where played all his junior football - up front.
What’s that saying: jack of all trades and master of none? He gets criticised but you always get that as a striker. That’s why I’ve always got time for him.”
ON KADEEM HARRIS
“He wasn’t anywhere near my team and last week he scores a goal in the Premier League.
Six weeks ago, he wanted to leave because he wasn’t getting a game. But that’s how things are. Now he won’t forget that ever in his life.
I’m pleased because he worked really hard, Kadeem, to come back in. I said to him ‘the only way you’re going to get back in my plans son, is by working hard’ – and he’s been probably the best in training in the last few weeks, now he’s got his reward so I’m delighted for him.”
JURGEN Klopp admits he’s looking forward to meeting “vocal” and “emotional” Neil Warnock when Liverpool host Cardiff City at Anfield.
The Reds are yet to taste defeat in the Premier League this season and are overwhelming favourites to continue their unbeaten start to the 2018/19 campaign by beating the Bluebirds this weekend.
The managers will meet for the first time in the dugout this weekend, and Klopp admits he’s full of respect for the Bluebirds as a result of the manner in which they gained promotion under Warnock.
The German boss – who revealed former Bluebird Marko Grujic spoke to him about Cardiff’s style of play in preseason before being sent out on loan to Hertha Berlin – commented: “I’m really looking forward to meeting him, I heard a lot about him.
“He’s obviously, vocal-wise, very talented. It will be a big pleasure to meet him, but not so during the 90 minutes. They will try everything.
“He’s one of the most experienced managers in the world of football, he’s been so successful in the past it’s unbelievable and my respect for the Championship grows every day. It’s such a difficult league.
“They got promoted and it’s an unbelievable achievement so we are aware of the quality of Cardiff.
“He looks like a character, he’s a very emotional and lively person. I watched a lot in the final period of the Championship season last year and it’s impressive how they did it. They deserved it in the end.
“He looks like a very demanding manager as well. His teams play like he want them to play.
“From all of the big active English managers, he’s the last one I have to meet.
“It’s a challenge like it always is after an international game to adapt to a new situation.
“Cardiff, and Neil Warnock is famous for the way he plays. The boys knew it already, and Marko Grujic played there last year, he told us a bit about him and the way they play.
“But it’s still so difficult. Last week gave them a big boost for sure. Before that, the games they lost were pretty tight and close so they could have got different results.
“They deserve our respect and they will get it.”
Cardiff have been well known for their efficiency from set-pieces under their current boss.
But Liverpool have scored more goals from set-pieces than any other side in the Premier League this season, a stat that came as a big surprise to Klopp.
“Did we really score more goals than Cardiff in set-pieces?” responded the 51-year-old when told by a reporter that the Reds had the best record in the division from set-pieces this season.
“This game is a challenge. Football is football, and it means there are a lot of moments where they can make the difference - that’s how it is.
“They have two or three players with unbelievably long throw-ins. So it’s really difficult. That’s how it is and it makes this game so interesting. There are different tools you can use”
Klopp confirmed that captain Jordan Henderson and summer signing Naby Keita are both out injured.