'I don't understand it' - Jurgen Klopp's Manchester United admission ahead of Liverpool FC clash

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is wary of a wounded Manchester United ahead of Sunday's Premier League showdown between the two rivals.

Erik ten Hag's side are under pressure having meekly surrendered their place in Europe in midweek with a 1-0 defeat to Bayern Munich while last weekend they were humbled 3-0 at Old Trafford by Bournemouth. In contrast, Liverpool top the Premier League table and were able to rest a clutch of stars for their Europa League game on Thursday night with qualification already secured.

It means the Merseysiders are heavy favourites to earn the victory this weekend, buoyed by a strong home record in recent times against United which includes a 7-0 thrashing in the corresponding contest last season. But Klopp is not getting ahead of himself despite the contrasting form of the two teams.

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“I never like when the headlines about United are not great before we play because then it is the game where they can put everything right," said Klopp. "I don’t follow United closely enough to know what’s the problem there. But I saw Erik ten Hag became manager of the month last month, I saw they were the team in form last month. How can it be all wrong? I just don’t understand it.

“The 7-0 we knew on the day was a freakish result that happens once in a life pretty much. If it helps anybody for the next game, it’s the team who lost 7-0 and not the team who won.

"If we just play a football game against the historical rival at home at Anfield, that itself makes it a special game and that’s what I want to see – a special game.”

United begin the weekend in