Jurgen Klopp has been speaking to the press ahead of the trip to Wembley next Sunday to face Manchester City in the Community Shield.
After a couple of disappointing performances in pre-season, the Reds will be looking for a win to put them back on the right path ahead of the new season getting properly underway.
Klopp, though, says that the while the Reds want to win, they might have to do so while not playing at their peak.
Klopp: I don't think we can expect to play our best game on Sunday. But it's about winning. There are different ways to do it, and we want to find one. I won Super Cup in Germany five times – if you win it nobody cares, if you lose it some people care.
— Ian Doyle (@IanDoyleSport) July 29, 2019
Klopp says the Reds will be taking the game as seriously as possible, viewing the match as a cup final – even after saying that if you win the game, no one will care.
He also expressed his surprise that many people see it as another pre-season friendly, or a curtain raiser for the new season. In Germany, the game is viewed as being much more prestigious.
Klopp on City game: It has nothing to do with the rest of the season. It's a final. A curtain-raiser? It's the first time anybody has explained it like that to me. We will try to be as ready as possible. If we win it good, will it have influence on season? I don't think so.
— Ian Doyle (@IanDoyleSport) July 29, 2019
READ MORE:
Transfer saga could be nearly over as midfielder sends strong hint he’s on the move
Any chance to win a trophy should be taken, even if the Community Shield is perhaps the least prestigious of the seven titles the Reds could win this season.
If nothing else, it will put down a marker early on in the season and put the Reds on the right track if they can deal City an early blow.