Ahead of their highly anticipated clash, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has praised his Manchester United counterpart Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, saying he should get the job on a permanent basis. Upon inheriting the reins at Old Trafford from Jose Mourinho, a man currently filling an interim post with the Red Devils has overseen a nine-match unbeaten run in the Premier League and 11 victories from 13 games across all competitions.
Klopp has said of his coaching counterpart ahead of the rekindling of old rivalries on Sunday: “It must be one of the best records ever, mustn’t it? “I’m really happy for him. It’s not the best news for us but for all Manchester United fans its brilliant. “They’ve brought in all the things Sir Alex Ferguson stood for with all the new things in football. “That makes them a threat again. They are really back on track. Good for them. “We all needed luck in our managerial careers. “When I went from Mainz to Dortmund people said I had no international experience. It was true. “Normally you would not make a move from Norway to Manchester United. That is clear. But he’s shown his qualities.
“He has the quality and the luck in the right moment. Now he’s in charge and there is no doubt he will be the manager next year as well. That is clear. “Can you imagine if they brought in a new manager? He deserves that 100%.”
United are not a serious threat to Liverpool’s title claims this season, with Solskjaer having been left with too much to do in that race. He has, however, lifted the Red Devils back into the top four and through to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup. Victory over arch-rivals on home soil this weekend would help to cement a standing among the Champions League spots heading towards 2019-20.
Liverpool, though, know that a positive result of any kind will be enough to send them back to the Premier League summit. Klopp has been charged with the task of delivering a first title triumph in 29 years, while the Reds are also hoping to enjoy another positive run through European competition.
They remain very much in a last-16 clash with Bayern Munich, having played out a 0-0 draw in the first leg of that tie at Anfield, while United have a continental mountain to climb in their meeting with Paris Saint-Germain after suffering a 2-0 defeat to the Ligue 1 champions.