Jurgen Klopp has urged his Liverpool players to show they have the 'biggest balls' on Sunday as they travel to Old Trafford to take on a beleaguered Manchester United.
The league leaders make the short journey to face off against their bitter rivals in contrasting positions, with the Reds sitting pretty atop the table after winning all eight of their fixtures, compared to United who are languishing in 14th with just two top-flight wins to date.
M A T C H D A Y
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) October 20, 2019
Next chapter in the rivalry. Old Trafford awaits! #ThisMeansMore #MUNLIV pic.twitter.com/j7gKzcTWzJ
Remarkably, Klopp is yet to mastermind a victory at Old Trafford, having seen his Liverpool team come unstuck on his previous four visits - drawing three and losing once. Nevertheless, the Premier League's unbeaten side will have their best opportunity to secure three points on Sunday as they head into the crunch clash as unquestionable favourites.
While their poor record could be brought to an end against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side, Klopp insisted that it will require his side showing some 'balls' in order to secure three points.
“Winning there would be a big next step. It’s not a step we have to make otherwise we cannot develop, no. But, of course, for our own history with me it is obviously something we have not achieved yet," he said, as quoted by the Mirror.
“This team wrote their own story and made their own history and this would be another step. But we cannot make it by simply talking about it.
“We have to go there and play the best football we can play, with the biggest balls, being ready for each challenge, fighting for every ball, all that stuff. That is what we have to do.”
Some of the Old Trafford spotlight will be focused on Mohamed Salah who, surprisingly, is still yet to find the back of the net against the Red Devils in his four previous encounters. Given the shock of the statistic, Klopp claimed it means Salah will break that duck sooner rather than later, while also warning the Egyptian ahead of what he expects to be some meaty tackles.
“It is difficult to know what he’s thinking. If someone had told me he’d never scored against United I would have said, ‘Really?’ I suppose the more you go without scoring against an opponent there may be one moment when you start scoring against them," Klopp added.
“All these games are big tests. I don’t see it as a specific test for him, but, yes, it is a big test. And sometimes there will be ‘old-school challenges’ and you have to be ready for them."
Source : 90min