Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp will be hoping his team can replicate Wednesday’s Premier League victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers when they take on fierce rivals Manchester United at the weekend.
Goals from captain Virgil van Dijk and Egypt international Mohamed Salah sealed a 2-0 win for the Reds, which was a relief after a torrid week previously where they suffered a heavy 5-2 defeat at home to Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League and a goalless draw at Crystal Palace in the league.
Liverpool are back to winning ways like they were when they secured back-to-back victories against Everton and Newcastle United, both of which ended 2-0, a fortnight ago. Klopp, however, acknowledges facing the Red Devils presents a different challenge.
United are fresh off a 3-1 FA Cup fifth-round win over West Ham United which was the 30th victory in all competitions this season, the most of any team in Europe’s top five leagues.
Two goals ✅
Three points ✅
Four successive @premierleague clean sheets ✅ pic.twitter.com/6BEApkILxb— Liverpool FC (@LFC) March 1, 2023
“In the best possible way, but in the end it’s still a different game and a big challenge, of course,” said Klopp was quizzed if the Wolves’ victory gives them a boost for Sunday’s crunch clash at Anfield.
“I think Man United is the team in form in the moment, maybe together with Arsenal and City are [also] doing well. The teams up there are all in a pretty good moment and I didn’t see yet the line-up [for United’s Emirates FA Cup game with West Ham United] but maybe they changed quite a few?
“That means some of them will be a bit fresher than us, but it’s a home game and it’s Anfield. I thought Anfield proved a point tonight again, it was super, super-enjoyable. It felt like a proper unit, we were all together – I loved that. That’s what we need again on Sunday, but of course it will be difficult.
“Again, if you face United at the weekend whichever result you’ve had before, either way you have to strike back or whatever, but now we have to use it for our general situation. We have to build on the performance and on the result – and we try everything to do exactly that.”
Wednesday’s victory moved Liverpool up to sixth on the table above Fulham, Brighton, Brentford, and Chelsea, and are just six points behind fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur.
