Louis van Gaal
Liverpool get the nod to stay ahead of rivals City
JURGEN
KLOPP will make a raft of changes for tomorrow’s FA Cup third-round
tie at Wolves – starting with forgotten keeper Simon Mignolet.
The Belgian international, Liverpool’s No.1 before £66.8 million Brazilian Alisson Becker joined from Roma last summer, has played only once this season but gets another chance, with Klopp determined to rest many of his stars after the Reds lost their unbeaten
record at Manchester City.
“We have to make changes,” Klopp said. “How many I don’t know.” Daniel Sturridge and Divock Origi are set to start, with Alberto Moreno and Adam Lallana
also expected to figure. FORMER Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal is backing Jurgen Klopp to beat Pep Guardiola to the Premier League in May - after hailing the Liverpool boss as a superior coach to his Manchester City rival.
Van Gaal reckons the Reds will take the title off the champions, despite seeing their lead at the top slashed to four points by a compelling 2-1 defeat at the Etihad on Thursday night.
The Dutchman believes City possess better players – but insists that Klopp is giving Guardiola a masterclass in coaching.
Van Gaal, a seven-time title winner in Holland, Spain and Germany who bossed United to fourth and fifth-placed finishes in his two seasons at Old Trafford, said: “Klopp has turned Liverpool into an absolute fighting machine achine – both attacking and defending. ng.
“So if I was to put my money on one club for the league, it would be Liverpool.
“Liverpool’s team is not based on the highest quality when i t comes to their players.
“In fact, the highest t quality players are at City.
“But at the same time, that i s the weakness ness in Guardiola. He only coaches his teams in an attacking way. Always.
“The moment his team has to defend, they look terrible. Liverpool have a team which can defend much better.
“That’s because Klopp has trained them to be a fighting force, whether they have the ball or not.
Weaknesses
“That’s exactly what is lacking in Guardiola’s team now.
“City have fabulous football ideas and a sparkling way of playing, but not the right fighting spirit.
“Don’t get me wrong, I still love to watch the way City play.
“But the way Klopp makes Liverpool play is absolutely fantastic.”
City blew the title race wide open by ending Liverpool’s unbeaten start to the season.
And now the Merseysiders face the first test of their resolve, with a trip to Wolves in the FA Cup tomorrow followed by a Premier League visit to Brighton next weekend.
City have home games against Rotherham and Burton in the FA Cup and Carabao Cup semi- final respectively, before resuming their title defence against Wolves at the Etihad on Monday week.
But Van Gaal felt the thrill-a-minute clash at the Etihad illustrated the strengths of Klopp’s team and the weaknesses that Guardiola has to address.
He said: “The match proved to me that City cannot defend.
“When Liverpool equalised there were enough City defenders around the box to prevent it.
Energy
“But most of the time, in the Premier League, City don’t have to defend because they outplay most opponents.
“When they face a strong side like Liverpool, you can see that the City players are not ab able to defend properly. They look lo erratic.
“L “Liverpool deserve applause ap because most teams te cannot force Man City C into a situation where they have to defend.
“Liverpool did push them at one point in the s second half and then we c could see that City were in trouble.
“Just look at Roberto Firm Firmino. He hardly touched a ball, but his amount of running for the team was incredible.
“Klopp also has Sadio Mane and even Mo Salah running their socks off in all matches.
“Those three help the others to defend and they also have the energy to counterattack and create things when they win the ball back.”
Van Gaal added: “Having said that, I am glad that City beat Liverpool because it has made t his t i t l e race even more sensational.
“The excitement is huge right now. Three teams can still become champions, because we can’t rule Tottenham out.
“But if you ask me which of the title chasers has the best team, I will say Klopp.
“Liverpool’s players have a bigger desire to win the title and that will help them win the league.
“For me Liverpool just want it more than the Man City players.”