Klopp laughs after Norwegian reporter tries to draw him into Solskjaer debate

Jurgen Klopp refused to be drawn into a question about advice for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at his Melwood press conference on Friday.

Manchester United host Klopp’s Liverpool at Old Trafford on Sunday with both teams in vastly different form.

Solskjaer insisted his United side would give Klopp’s men a “good game” after his news conference on Friday morning, but their form suggests they will struggle against the Premier League leaders.

Just two wins from their opening eight games has seen Solskjaer come under increasing pressure, and Klopp was asked by a Norwegian reporter whether he had any advice for a struggling Solskjaer.

“You really think you can fly over from Norway and ask me that question? Wow. No,” said Klopp laughing loudly.

“He doesn’t need it. He was there for 10/15 years as a player there he knows everything there. He has made his experience as a manager in football and I know people think you have to manage say Real Madrid before you can take over at Barcelona but that’s not the truth. He knows what he has to do.

“It looks like he is settled there and it’s a difficult thing to do because nobody loses against you because you are Man Utd, it’s about what you do on the pitch. They are all on their toes and really motivated and he has the chance to win at the weekend, but we have to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

 

Klopp, who labelled the all-Liverpool line-ups from Manchester United and Liverpool XIs as a “joke”, was also asked whether his opposite number deserves more time and respect.

Klopp added: “I have no clue about his position really. It’s not important what you are writing, really. It’s more important what the board are telling him. I don’t have an opinion about that.

“I want every manager to have as much time in the world but no club is willing to wait for success. You cannot compare situations. After my 29 games there was not 100% agreement I was the perfect manager for Liverpool.

“It’s a big pressure game. Thank God the times when pretty much each type of challenge was allowed in this game is over. That was really dangerous. We have to fight for each yard and we have to play football. That’s the mix we want to find.”

Asked whether he was wary of the pace for Daniel James,he added: “He is a really good player, absolutely. But I expect Martial, Rashford and James on the pitch. The speed they have and quality all across the pitch.”