Ralf Rangnick: Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp ‘one of the best’, ‘I know how he wants to play’
Manchester United boss Ralf Rangnick has described Klopp as “one of the best” coaches in the world ahead of the clash at Anfield.
“Before [when] he came to Borussia Dortmund or started his coaching career at Mainz, he developed the club on a level, this is what modern management is all about.
“He’s one of the best, if not the best coach not only now the past couple of years. If this should be a role model, it’s no coincidence he came and they finished ninth, thereafter they made the necessary adaptations, they brought in the right players, built a squad and that’s why they are where they are.”
Ahead of the game at Anfield, Rangnick also praised the work of Liverpool, suggesting he knows all about their style having managed a number of the players in the current Liverpool squad. Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino, Joel Matip, Ibrahima Konate, Naby Keita and Takumi Minamino have all played under Rangnick, who said: “Jurgen has built that team over the last six-and-a-half years. Six or seven of those players used to be my – or our – players. We signed them for our clubs when nobody knew them and again it’s no coincidence that this is probably the club with the highest number of players from our former clubs. Their approach, their style of football, the way they want to play is pretty similar.”
And speaking to the press ahead of the game, Rangnick clarified his comments, saying: “I didn’t say how much influence I had on those players but it’s pretty obvious a big club like Liverpool, one of the best clubs in Europe, have six former players – it’s probably the highest number of players that nobody knew by the time we gave them debuts.
“This has got to do with a similar idea of football. Jurgen and me have known each other for a long time, I know how he wants to play, having six players from former clubs of mine is not a coincidence.”
‘We need to be aggressive’
Man Utd pulled themselves back into the race for the top four with a 3-2 victory over Norwich on Saturday, but Rangnick has called for more defensive improvement from his side as they look to shackle Liverpool’s free-scoring forwards – and he believes they have a chance of victory if they can raise their level.
“As I said after the [Norwich] game we need to be more compact, find a better balance of what we can do in possession of the ball, we need to be more aggressive, more on the front foot but make sure we have all the players behind the ball. This is what we need to show against one of the best teams in producing chances and creating moments.
“Around the box we need to be on our very best defensively but still have a formation and approach to the game that we can be dangerous ourselves.”
He said: “It’s up to us, we definitely will travel there tomorrow and try and get three points, this is what it’s all about, it’s about our situation. We are still in the race for fourth but to stay in it we have to win almost every game.
“We might be the underdogs for most people but if we raise our level we have a chance.”
Gary Neville meanwhile believes no Manchester United player will make Man City and Liverpool starting eleven.
Speaking after the previous week’s defeat against another relegation-threatened side, Everton, Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville said none of the United players are ahead of their opposite numbers at Liverpool.
“When I look at Manchester City and Liverpool, they have humble football players; no over-inflated egos, they understand their position, the team comes first,” he said on his podcast.
“There isn’t one Manchester United player that would get into any of those two teams, so why would you have an over-inflated ego, think you didn’t have to work hard, or be spiritless? I don’t see anything anymore [from this United side].”
So would you pick any Manchester United players in a combined XI with Liverpool?
Does Cristiano Ronaldo’s back-to-back hat-tricks in Premier League home games edge him ahead of an out-of-form Mohamed Salah? Does David de Gea have the edge on Alisson in the goalkeeping department?
