Klopp calls time on his Kop strops

JURGEN KLOPP has claimed he’s calmer on the touchline now – a year after antagonising Jose Mourinho at Chelsea. The volatile duo meet at Anfield tomorrow for the first time since Mourinho took over at Manchester United. And it’ll be their first encounter since Kop boss Klopp banged a nail into Mourinho’s Stamford Bridge coffin by masterminding Liverpool’s 3-1 win at Chelsea a year ago. Mourinho was furious at Klopp’s touchline antics that autumn day with the German boss challenging the match officials several times during an intense game. Asked after the match if he’d have got away with behaving like Klopp, Mourinho said: “You have doubts? “I cannot say because I get punished. When I challenged him the fourth official told me to shut up or I go out.” Klopp (right) claimed not to remember the incident – but even though he insists he’s a more tranquil figure in the technical area than in his younger days he’s not about to change. “I didn’t recognise this and I am not sure anybody told me about it after the game and now nearly one year later we talk about it,” he said. “I didn’t speak with Jose about it after the game, no, of course not. But I have to accept that for a long time in my life not everybody is 100 per cent happy with my performance on the sidelines.

“I think I’m not as intense as I used to be when I was younger. Sometimes it happens. But actually now at Anfield there is much more space for all of us.

“From then now I’m one year older! That’s what age in a positive way can do.

“For me, there were never incidents between Jose and myself when I played against him for Dortmund against Real Madrid or Chelsea.

“Everything has been good until now.”

Liverpool will start favourites after a flying start to the campaign, but Klopp insists United – physically bigger – still pose a major danger.

“I know that at this moment everybody has the feeling that we are in a good way and they are not in a good way but there are only three points’ difference” Klopp said.

“That’s nothing. There’s not a big difference between the teams.”