Jurgen Klopp jokingly asked the rhetorical question as to whether he could air his opinions on Anfield, for fear that some people may be ‘offended’.
The manager held his pre-match press conference on Friday afternoon ahead of Liverpool’s showdown at home to Manchester City in a clash of the Premier League’s current top two.
It’ll be the first time that the teams have met since the redeveloped Anfield Road Stand opened fully, raising the stadium’s capacity to 61,000, and a raucous afternoon is in store on Sunday.
Klopp told reporters today that the atmosphere generated by such occasions can be a ‘massive’ asset to his side, although he could almost sense the barbs coming from rival supporters if he were to air his views about LFC’s iconic home.
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The German said (via Liverpool Echo): “The atmosphere our people can create, am I allowed to say it’s second to none or are people offended by that? It’s good, massive, energising. These are games you want to play, to watch. Anfield for us is a massive, massive factor. The people will [help us].”
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Klopp’s comments today represent quite the volte-face from December, when he questioned the atmosphere at Anfield after Liverpool beat West Ham 5-1 in the Carabao Cup.
However, in every home game since he announced six weeks ago that he’d be stepping down at the end of the season, the stadium has been rocking, something that the manager publicly acknowledged following the recent come-from-behind win over Luton.
The 56-year-old has been at the club long enough to know just how special a venue it can be for the biggest occasions, and a top-of-the-table showdown against Man City certainly falls into that category.
It’s no coincidence that Pep Guardiola’s only win at Anfield came in February 2021 when fans couldn’t attend matches during the global pandemic, and even a team which has won so much usually seem spooked when they rock up at Liverpool’s world-famous home.
There’ll be inevitable naysayers shooting down Klopp’s opinions on this temple of football, but if they’re ‘offended’ – to use the manager’s words – then that’s their problem. Say it loud and say it proud, Jurgen!