The Match Tonight Isn’t A Personal Battle With Jose Mourinho

 

Jurgen Klopp insists Monday's clash between Liverpool and Manchester United is not a personal battle between him and Jose Mourinho. The pair have met four times previously as managers of Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid respectively, and once last year in the Premier League when Mourinho was in charge of Chelsea.

Klopp holds the advantage over his United counterpart with three victories compared to Mourinho's one, but the German has stressed the result at Anfield will be determined by the players on the field rather than the managers in the dugout.

He said “I've said before it's not Mourinho against Klopp - that would make the game much easier, he is a very successful and very experienced colleague. We had a few talks before the games, especially against Real Madrid. It was always difficult, because he always has good teams behind him I would say. (It's) always a big challenge and that's how it is this time. This is Liverpool against United, two good sides. We are in the race for three points and that's the only thing I need.”

Klopp's first Premier League meeting with Liverpool's arch rivals ended in a 1-0 home defeat in January, but his side got the better of Manchester United in a Europa League last-16 tie in March and the 49-year-old joked he may just resurrect his team talk from that match before Monday's encounter.