Jurgen Klopp has come out in defence of Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, labelling his Premier League title rival as the “best coach in the world” as the pair prepare to meet on Sky Sports’ Sunday Special.
Ahead of City’s Champions League quarter-final tie with Atletico Madrid this week, Guardiola joked he may have found the solution to the suggestion that he overcomplicates his tactics in the big games: playing with 12 players.
“In the Champions League I always overthink,” Guardiola said. “I always create new tactics and ideas, and you will see a new one. I overthink a lot, that’s why I have very good results in the Champions League. It would be boring if my job, all the time, we had to play the same way.”
Klopp expects an engrossing battle at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, live on Sky Sports, with his side having the chance to go two points clear at the top of the Premier League with a victory.
But he felt obliged to defend Guardiola after his light-hearted comments were taken literally by some sections of the media.
The Liverpool boss said: “It was ironic! I saw there was a story in Ecuador this week which claimed I didn’t understand Luis Diaz. You have a responsibility on this planet. If you want to talk to us then please do us a favour and help us. Pep said ironically, ‘I overthink, and I like overthinking’.
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“Pep is the best coach in the world. I think we would all agree on that and it might be a coincidence that it didn’t work out in the Champions League so far. If anybody doubts him, I have no idea how that could happen.”
Full attention now turns to Sunday’s game after City took care of business in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Atletico on Tuesday by grinding out a hard-fought 1-0 win.
Champions City lead Liverpool, who have won their last 10 Premier League games, by just one point heading into the meeting at the Etihad.
Klopp believes Sunday’s encounter will live up to the top billing.
“Very often it doesn’t happen when two top teams face each other, but our history of matches have shown them to be an interesting watch as both teams really go for it,” the German added. “Both teams want to use momentum, gaps and create momentum. We both look for gaps so I expect an interesting game.
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“In sport, what helps the most is having a strong opponent. In the long term, especially, that helps you the most. I’m sure (Rafa) Nadal and (Roger) Federer helped each other a lot. I’m not sure it would’ve been the case had they not had each other to compete against.
“I wouldn’t say it’s helpful [having City as a title rival], but it hasn’t denied our development.
“I don’t worry about the mentality of my boys. We’ve learned over the years to be in the game but after the match with Benfica they were aware it was now ‘City time’, and we will be prepared. We both played on Tuesday so we’ve had enough time to prepare for the game and recover. Let’s go.”
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City have acquired plenty of trophy-winning experience in recent seasons and triumphed in a similarly tight title race in 2019, when they won their last 14 games to pip Liverpool by a single point.
Sunday’s game is treble-chasing City’s second of four matches in an intense two-week spell that could make or break their campaign. It is followed by the second leg against Atletico in the Spanish capital next Wednesday and then another high-profile meeting with Liverpool, in the FA Cup semi-finals, the weekend after.
So will Sunday prove decisive in this season’s Premier League title race?
“I can’t decide what people think but we can just go through the possible results,” said Klopp. “If we win, we’re two points up. If we lose, we’re four points behind. If anyone thinks, ‘that’s it’ I cannot change it. I’m sure City won’t be thinking this way. If it’s a draw, we’re one point behind. I’m really looking forward to the challenge.
“We qualified for a great game with the season we’ve played so far, and I’m really happy we can be part of it and many people can watch it. We’ll give it a try.”
Writing in his column for the Daily Telegraph, Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher claimed Liverpool’s rivalry with City is the ‘greatest ever’ in English football – beating the likes of Manchester United’s battles with Arsenal and Chelsea in the ’90s and ’00s because they are ‘the world’s two best teams’.
Klopp was inclined to agree based on it being Carragher’s viewpoint.
“Who said it? [Jamie Carragher]. Then yes! I’ve watched a lot of football in my life and I know about big rivalries. It’s cool what’s happened in the last four years when we’ve managed to step things up. We’ve managed to close the gap to City slightly and we push each other to incredible points tallies – madness – I didn’t think it was possible in this league but the consistency both teams have shown has been crazy.
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“The closer you get the more likely it is you can overtake but we know it’s tough. What’s changed in these four years is that anyone who faces us feels the same. It’s tough.”
As there is no room for manoeuvre or the slightest error Klopp knows the race will be far from over, irrespective of the outcome on Sunday – especially as his side have the harder-looking run in, with matches against Everton and Manchester United to come before the end of the month.
The morale-boosting 3-1 Champions League quarter-final first-leg win over Benfica has allowed them to put one foot in the Champions League semi-finals.
It means they make the short trip along the M62 brimming with confidence as they attempt to get their first league victory at the Etihad since 2015, although they have won there once since in a European tie.
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“You have to prepare and then you have to show respect by the way you defend,” continued Klopp. “There’s no game in world football you can compare with games with Man City. They have no areas of weakness but it’s football and the pitch is very big so you have to use your chances and the space to create.
“All you can do is try to deny them as best you can. If you give the best players space, that makes no sense. There’s a lot to think about, but in the end I really hope I can help the boys to have all the necessary information but not too much.
“They need to be themselves and enjoy the game.”
Guardiola: Jurgen makes world football a better place to live
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Guardiola, meanwhile, has refused to describe Sunday’s eagerly-anticipated Premier League clash against Liverpool as a title-decider.
Champions City hold a one-point lead over Klopp’s side at the top of the table.
Guardiola said at his press conference: “I don’t know. It will be a massively important three points but [there will] still remain seven games. Important? Of course it is.”
Klopp has described Guardiola as the best manager in the business, but the City boss was modest when told about the compliment.
He said: “I didn’t become a manager to be the best. I’m not. Thank you so much, but I’m not. I’d like to say I’m the best, but I’m not.”
When it came to describing the strengths of his team, however, Guardiola was far more forthcoming.
The Spaniard said: “I’d say incredible things about my team. My team are the best. I like to admit my players are exceptional.”
Guardiola also spoke of his admiration for Klopp.
He said: “Jurgen makes world football a better place to live. His message, a huge competitor. It’s good. I try to have a good relation with all the managers
“I learned it’s better not to have a relation with the others. He knows, we spoke together in Germany, the message and the way his teams play. He’s a good guy and I don’t have any problems with him.”
Guardiola believes City’s rivalry with Liverpool in recent years has been the biggest he has experienced in his career.
He said: “I admire what they do, how good they are. I enjoy this challenge.
“When I retire and watch and play golf I will remember the biggest rivalry was Liverpool.”
Man City vs Liverpool: Nev, Carra, Keane & Richards in studio
Manchester City’s huge Premier League clash against Liverpool takes place on Super Sunday, live on Sky Sports.
With just one point currently separating champions City and Liverpool at the top of the table, the outcome is likely to have major implications for the title race.
Coverage at the Etihad Stadium starts at 4pm on Sky Sports Premier League & Main Event, with kick-off at 4.30pm.
There will be a bumper line-up in the Sky Sports studio with Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher, Roy Keane and Micah Richards all in attendance.
Here’s how to watch and follow the game on Sky Sports…
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