Klopp wants Mo to have a ball at United
JURGEN KLOPP is challenging his stars to play with the “biggest balls” to earn the German a first ever win at Old Trafford as Kop boss.
And he warned Mo Salah – searching for his first goal against Manchester United – to beware “old school” challenges as Liverpool head to their rivals desperate to keep their 100 per cent winning league record intact.
Klopp has tasted plenty of success at Anfield against United but knows his highflying stars will have to be ready to battle for victory with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s stars fired up to kick-start their own campaign.
“Winning there would be a big next step. It’s not a step we have to make otherwise we cannot develop, no. But of course for me it is something we have not achieved yet.
“This team wrote their own story and made their eir own history and this is would be another step. But we cannot make it by talking about it.
“We have to go there and play the best football we can play, with the biggest ‘balls’, being ready for each challenge, fighting for every ball, all that stuff. That is what we have to do.”
Salah (above) has drawn a blank in his four games against United. But Klopp says that statistic makes it more likely the Egyptian will break his duck soon.
“It is difficult to know what he is thinking. If someone had told me he would never score against United, I would have said: ‘Really?’. I suppose the more you go without scoring against an opponent there may be one moment when you start scoring against them.
“I don’t see it as a specific test for him but yes it is a big test. And sometimes there will be ‘old school challenges’ and you have to be ready for them. That is how it is.
“But there is a reason for these ststories, just like our history histo against United away, aw such as the stadium st or the i intensity of the g game. We have got c closer, closer and cl closer since I have bee been here but still it has nonot happened.
“The Europa League game there was a sensational game but the league game there last season was not. If there had been a winner it would have been us.
“You have to be ready for all these things – half chances, using the atmosphere, staying calm and passing at the right moments. To do that you have to grow as a team, and we have.
“When I first went to Old Trafford it was difficult to face that situation. Nobody expected us to win. But now the situation has changed. We expect a chance to win the game whoever we play or wherever we go.’’
JAMES MILNER’S decision to quit England and extend his Liverpool career has been labelled a “smart” move by Jurgen Klopp.
The Kop boss believes that Milner, 33, might not be delivering the kind of high level performances he demands if the midfielder was still playing for England.
Milner has played 11 of Liverpool’s 12 games this season and is expected to start against United today.
And Klopp has revealed he gives Milner a week off during the international break – which is helping him prolong his career at the top.
“Maybe Milly is one of those few players where it would not have bothered him too much if he carried on playing. But I think it’s smart at that age.
“It was a conscious decision to think of, ‘What do I have to do?’. He has made a lot of smart decisions in life and that was another one.”