Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has admitted he was close to calling into talkSPORT radio to remind pundit Gabriel Agbonlahor of his own playing career after the former Aston Villa forward’s scathing remarks about Manchester United’s performance against Brentford.
“They're not United, they're divided, none of them are working for each other. Look at them, they're like strangers on the pitch,” Agbonlahor said on the radio station after the game.
“If I was [United] now after this game I'd be thinking, 'You know what, Ten Hag, just pack up'. He's had pre-season and they have started the season as a shambles, they're like strangers on the pitch. They're just not good enough.”
Klopp, whose Liverpool side go into Monday night’s game as favourites owing to United’s start and 4-0 and 5-0 wins against them season, took exception to the remarks.
“You forget in these moments how good Brentford are, to be honest,” he said on Friday.
“[Agbonlahor] lost against us…6-0…in my first year. I couldn’t remember him as a mentality monster on the pitch. But what he said about United on that show, I was close to calling in to tell, ‘You forgot completely that you have been a player'. Unbelievable.
“Now you just have to ask yourself, how would you want to react in a situation like this. We would, of course, fight back. That is completely normal and that is what we expect [from United].”
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Klopp was also complimentary about the ability of the players in the United squad, having seen his Liverpool team taken apart by them during a pre-season friendly in Thailand last month.
“The quality they have up front is ridiculous, the quality in midfield - whoever lines up - whether it's [Christian] Eriksen, [Bruno] Fernandes, [Donny] Van de Beek, Fred. Donny I think is a really good player. And then there's [Scott] McTominay as well,” he said.
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Source : 90min