Can Klopp really become the new King of the Kop?
continental trophies have met in European competition.
It may only be the graveyard of Thursday night football in the also-rans trophy but it’s difficult to overestimate what victory would mean to both clubs.
There’ll be 115,000 attending the two games and suddenly TV schedules are being shunted around to accommodate what’s certain to be the tournament’s most-watched tie ever worldwide.
For Louis van Gaal, winning the Europa League and qualifying for next season’s Champions League is one of three ways he can save his job.
The other two are finishing in the top four or winning the FA Cup.
Klopp won’t be sacked if he ends the season without a trophy or a Champions League spot but doing either would relieve the pressure on season No. 2.
That’s when the German will be expected to produce. He will have had almost a full campaign to assess what he inherited and a summer transfer window to make his changes.
So far, the only activity has been to secure the signatures of 19- year- old Serbian Marko Grujic for £ 5.1m and Schalke’s 24- year- old Cameroon centreback Joel Matip on a free. Both will arrive in July.
But Klopp is expected to tailor his squad to his signature “gegenpress” philosophy, which means that record signing Christian Benteke is a likely casualty, Daniel Sturridge’s overall contribution will be critically assessed and there’ll be more strengthening of the defence.
He’s still working with Rodgers’ squad so judgement must be deferred. When he’s been able to hand- pick his own men the scrutiny will be ramped up.
Meanwhile there’s this double-header against United, the team Liverpool fans want to beat most of all.
Sir Alex Ferguson used to say this was English football’s greatest fixture.
In recent seasons, it’s seemed that Fergie was living in the past. It’s not been a title-decider for a long time.
But the uniqueness of a two- legged European tie has elevated this encounter back to its old status.
Victory over United assures any Anfield manager of instant promotion to something approaching sainthood.
Klopp has had one go in the League and failed. Success wouldn’t win any trophies but it would certainly influence the answer to the original question about what sort of job he’s doing.