Klopp urges Liverpool to show killer instinct against Man United

Jurgen Klopp wants Liverpool’s players to display a killer instinct and avoid a repeat of their last visit to Old Trafford that led him to snap.

Liverpool face Manchester United again three weeks after their wild FA Cup quarter-final, when they lost 4-3 in the final minute of extra-time.

The fallout of the tie was no less dramatic, as Klopp walked out of an interview with a Danish TV channel after a question about his team’s lack of intensity.

The German was incredulous that such a criticism was made because, for much of the contest, he had seen Liverpool dominate and was thrilled with the level of the performance they produced at the end of what had been a hectic period.

But the inability to put United away when they had sufficient opportunities returned to haunt them and Klopp knows there cannot be any similarities on Sunday if Liverpool are going to retain their position at the top of the table.

‘There was this famous interview afterwards,’ said Klopp.

‘I knew what would happen actually. I was really calm after the game. I wasn’t even angry, because I knew that, yes, we had to win it in this period. The first 15-20 minutes United were there, really aggressive and scored the goal.

‘But then we took over and it was the best we played against them for a while, for sure. There was really good football without scoring. Then after 90 minutes, I saw minute by minute it was too much. It was the end of this intense spell, after all the games we played, extra time was a killer for us.

‘It was the first time I saw us struggling. It was too much for this specific group, with the way we had to change, with the players coming back just in time for this game and these kind of things. But I was not angry. Then the guy asked me about intensity and that was just when it snapped.

‘As if anybody would be interested in the intensity or why you cannot keep up the intensity with them? United played I don’t know how many less games than we had until then. But the game was brilliant in moments, absolutely brilliant, but we did not have the legs that day obviously to use it.

‘You saw these quick attacks we had, these four v three situations, and then unlikely for us we pretty consistently found the wrong player to finish it off. There is nothing you can do. That is just when the brain is not really fresh and the boys don’t see the right solution. You have to accept it and I did.’

Liverpool have had trouble with United this season and the reverse fixture at Anfield remains the only time in the last 58 matches that they have failed to score.

Old Trafford, though, is a stadium at which Klopp has enjoyed good times for his current club and another big moment is needed here.

Klopp, famously, once described games between United and Liverpool as “the salt in the soup”, the rivalry that makes football taste better. Will there, then, be any pangs about this being the last time he will be in charge for it?

‘No,’ Klopp said firmly. ‘Nothing. No. I’m in the job. It might called from the outside “Klopp’s Farewell Tour” but it has nothing to do with me. I’m approaching each game like normal. I don’t have these (sentimental) feelings. We have eight games to go and we need to be focused. And we will be.’