Harry Diamond
Jurgen Klopp has defended his comments about Manchester United’s counter-attacking style ahead of the huge meeting between Liverpool and their north-west rivals this weekend.
The Premier League leaders welcome Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Manchester United side to Anfield this Sunday in the latest instalment of a fierce rivalry between English football’s two most successful club sides.
This weekend’s visitors are the only side to have prevented Liverpool securing a perfect Premier League record so far this season, the two sides sharing the spoils following a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford in October.
Following that clash, Klopp accused United of implementing a negative style and playing on the counter-attack, comments that the Reds boss has now defended ahead of their highly anticipated meeting this weekend.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Klopp said: “It’s strange when you play a high-quality team, which United still is.
“We [also] had that last week with Tottenham. They don’t only counter-attack, but it’s the main thing.
“If people want to see it as criticism, I can’t change this.”
Despite some seeing Klopp’s October comments as criticism, Solskjaer took them as a positive, believing it to be a compliment that his side left their opponents frustrated in that previous meeting.
“I don’t think it’s an accusation, I take it as a compliment that we defend so well that they’ve not really created chances against us,” Solskjaer said in his press conference.
“When the opposition manager is frustrated that’s a good sign for you as a manager that our boys have done well. I think we’ve been closest to winning both of those games, so I don’t know what the problem has been.”
Solskjaer hails Manchester United’s ‘very exciting’ front three
See also – Liverpool v Manchester United – Match preview and predictions