Klopp ‘not prepared to answer’ as Man Utd manager question swept aside by Liverpool boss
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp refused to give an answer to a question about the Manchester United manager situation in his latest press conference.
While the Reds are flying high in the Premier League and Champions League, the picture at Old Trafford is completely different. A 4-1 defeat to Watford finally put paid to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s reign as manager.
As a result, Liverpool’s arch rivals are now looking for their fifth manager of the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.
Former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino is the leading candidate to take over. Intriguingly, the Paris Saint-Germain coach is in Manchester on Tuesday as his side face City.
But whoever takes charge at Man Utd, Klopp knows full well the pressure a manager who is fighting to compete with the top clubs in England faces.
Asked to outline how he has met such pressures, though, Klopp refused to answer the question.
He said: “Sorry, I’m really not prepared for that question. I didn’t think about Man Utd for a second and I didn’t think about what impact the manager has, should have or whatever.
“It’s six years since I had to think about these kind of things, sorry. It was a long question and I don’t have an answer for that.”
Instead, he chose to focus on Liverpool’s Champions League clash with Porto on Wednesday.
The game in itself is a dead rubber for the Reds. Following four wins from four in Group B, they sit top and cannot be caught by Porto, Atletico Madrid or AC Milan.
However, Klopp is still eyeing a win and he provided an update on captain Jordan Henderson and left-back Andy Robertson. The latter, in particular, missed Saturday’s 4-0 win over Arsenal.
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“Hendo, we will see,” the manager said. “Yesterday [Monday] he was not 100 per cent, he can play but it’s about being 100 per cent fit. So I thought when he came on against Arsenal, it was just to see the game out.
“He used those few minutes, but now we have to see. Robertson is similar, both are ok but are both ready to start with the games we have coming up?
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“Whatever lineup we will show tomorrow night, it’s only about winning the game. That’s what we are here for.
“We know our opponent will be motivated on the highest level for two main reasons. One is we won there in a way which they didn’t like and if they win, they have a final against Atletico Madrid on the final matchday.”
Liverpool have played Porto twice at Anfield under Klopp’s reign, drawing 0-0 in 2018.
In 2019, they won 2-0 in the Champions League quarter-finals on their way to winning the final.
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