By Peter Ochieng
Liverpool managerJurgen Klopp says he is focused on his team getting something from an English Premier League (EPL) match on Sunday.
The two perennial rivals meet at Old Trafford, days after United beat the Reds 4-3 in the FA Emirates Cup mid last month.
Speaking ahead of the encounter, Klopp said his team should work hard to get something from the clash, after losing against United despite dominating a big chunk of the game last month.
“United is a top side playing at home, we all know that. But we cannot just tell. Let’s do what we did from minute 15 to, I don’t know, 70-something. Football is not that easy. We have to find a way to cause United problems and they will try exactly the same. On that level, with this opponent, in this stadium, we better play a really good football game, to be honest, if we want something there,” the outgoing manager is quoted by the Reds website.
Liverpool have registered back-to-back home Premier League victories, which have come against Brighton & Hove Albion and Sheffield United, following the March international break.
Klopp’s charges enter the next round of top-flight fixtures at the summit of the standings, and will be aiming to continue their strong form in the league.
Ahead of the fixtures, Manchester United popularly known as the Red Devils have issues in defence. Victor Lindelof and Lisandro Martinez were ruled out for at least a month, two days before Thursday’s helter-skelter 4-3 defeat at Chelsea, and two more centre-backs also have fitness issues following the trip to London.
Raphael Varane was substituted at half-time for the second game in a row, after limping in the closing stages of the first half.
The Frenchman was replaced by Jonny Evans – back after missing the Liverpool and Brentford games in March – for the second period, but the 36-year-old could only manage a 21-minute cameo before Willy Kambwala had to be called upon.
After the game, Erik ten Hag said it was too early to assess the severity of the pair’s problems, but if they cannot return in time for the Merseysiders’ visit on Sunday, that would leave Kambwala and Harry Maguire as the only natural options in central defence.