Jurgen Klopp discusses about his relationship with Manchester United interim boss Ralf Ragnick ahead of their game in the Premier League.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp spoke about his relationship with Manchester United interim manager Ralf Rangnick ahead of their game at Anfield.
Liverpool will host Manchester United in the Premier League tomorrow in a game that is very important for both teams.
Klopp and Rangnick faced each other when he was a manager at Borussia Dortmund in the German Bundesliga.
Sportscliffs understands that Klopp emulated Rangnick’s tactics which has been a blessing to him and his team.
Speaking ahead of the game Klopp says he respect Rangnick so much and that they have never contacted each other since he arrived in England.
“We didn’t have contact since he is in England, since he is at United. I think that’s just a mutual respect – I respect his job, he respects my job.
“I cannot make a Klopp-Rangnick or Rangnick- Klopp game of it. I don’t want to. I respect him for everything he did during his career, to be honest, he did incredible jobs wherever he was.”
Klopp feels pity with Rangnick because he believe he took over a difficult job at Manchester United with little time to make changes.
“Took a difficult one at Man United, obviously that’s clear. Big expectations, these kinds of things. Big expectations and actually no time to get there because in our business it’s like this.
“But you can see the changes he made and the parts he improved, and that’s it pretty much. When we now prepared the United game, I didn’t think about Ralf in that moment because you watch the games and then you prepare for this team. It’s not Ralf or me. It’s a very important football game – a very, very important football game – but the managers probably will not score the decisive goal.”
He believes that his fellow compatriot has tried to organise the Manchester United team as he claims they are playing good football.
“I think Ralf tried to organise the team, that’s how it is, bringing in a structure with the squad you have. That’s what he did. United played some really, really good games but because it is United even when you win the games, it’s then ‘But here is a little bit not [right], that’s still not there…’ and stuff like this.
“So, it’s difficult to gain some momentum, I can imagine. But they concede less goals, for sure, and dropped some points [but] if you [look] at the points tally you see all of a sudden they are [fifth] in the table and if you are [fifth] in the Premier League it means you are a quality side. Because with all the opponents you have, it’s madness how consistent you have to be to get somehow close to that area.
“You see Tottenham flying in the moment and then get a little drop [at the weekend], but the quality they have is incredible. Chelsea are so strong. And we are all still fighting for qualifying for the Champions League next year and if you did that, from that moment on you can think about something else. But United are in that group as well and that says a lot about the quality they have.”
