Jurgen knows the score for City clash
LIVERPOOL manager Jurgen Klopp is experienced enough not to expect his free-scoring side to continue their goal glut against Manchester City.
Their 5-1 Champions League win over Porto on Tuesday was the sixth-successive match in which the team scored three or more goals – only the third time in the club’s history the feat has been achieved.
They have scored 20 times in 17 days and 26 goals in their first nine fixtures to equal a record, for a top-flight campaign, set in 1922 and replicated only one other time in the 2016-2017 season.
Mohamed Salah has eight goals in as many games, while Sadio Mane (four), Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino (both three) are all contributing.
But Klopp knows it will not just be about the goals when Pep Guardiola’s side visit Anfield on Sunday.
When told his side had scored 20 times this month, the Reds boss said: ‘Unfortunately, it didn’t feel like that, but thank you for telling me. We conceded as well, some or a few.
‘We play against Man City, I don’t think now it makes too much sense to think too much about how many goals we can score against them.
‘We need a complex and complete performance against them to have a chance only and that’s it. But I’m really looking forward to it. I’m looking forward to playing at home again after a while.
‘We have to work hard, we had to work hard in all the games we had. But now we have two days more (than the three they had between Brentford and Porto) to the City game, which will be helpful, and then we will be fresh again and give it a go.’
Liverpool are the Premier League’s leading scorers with 15 but City – who have already put five unanswered goals past Norwich and Arsenal – are not far behind and they have conceded just once.
Last season Pep Guardiola’s side secured their first win at Anfield since 2003 with a 4-1 victory in front of an empty ground during Liverpool’s unfathomable run of six successive home defeats.
We need a complex and complete performance against them