Klopp: It's strange that United play like that against us
Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp has commented on Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's claim that they have found a way to play against the Reds.
Ahead of the blockbuster clash on Monday morning (Singapore time), Solskjaer said: "Of course you want to win them games but I think we’ve found a nice way of playing against them and we’ve deserved the points in both of them."
Solskjaer was referring to the 0-0 and 1-1 draws under his charge in their last two encounters which took place at Old Trafford.
When asked about his counterpart's claims at the pre-match press conference, Klopp said: "I don't know 100 per cent about the results but I know about the games and they were not games like you would imagine when United plays against Liverpool.
"It's not about how games have been in the past. There have been good times for Liverpool, good times for Man United and there was always one clear favourite and stuff like this, but both teams try to win it.
"I think in the last two years, the away games were especially strange from that point of view. I said it after the game and Ole got confronted with it as well, that I said, 'United only defended today'. I don't know exactly any more if I said it but probably it's true because I felt it in that moment.
"It's strange when you play against a high, high-quality team what United still is, and they play the way they play. That makes life really difficult."
Klopp said it felt the same way in their 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur, who are managed by Solskjaer's predecessor Jose Mourinho.
"We had it now with Tottenham, that's the truth. After 70 minutes, I think we had around 80 per cent possession – that's not normal. How can you expect something like that?
"On the other side, the counter-attacks are the highest level in the world – that's for Tottenham with the players they have and Man United, for sure, as well.
"I don't say they only counter-attack, but it's a main thing for them to do. If people want to see that as criticism, I cannot change that. But it's just a description of the situation and that, of course, makes life for us more difficult.
"If it's an open game then play football – here's space, there's space, stuff like this. But that's the way it is."
The Reds have been handed a double injury boost ahead of the game, with defender Joel Matip and midfielder Fabinho both fit.
Matip has not featured since the 1-1 league draw with United in October after picking up a knee injury while Fabinho has been out since a 1-1 draw with Napoli in the Champions League the following month due to an ankle problem.
However, the league leaders will be without defender Dejan Lovren (thigh) as well as midfielders Naby Keita (groin) and James Milner (thigh), reported Reuters.
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