'I'm excited: We are Liverpool so let's show this at Old Trafford'

The Reds will make the journey down the East Lancs road on the back of Wednesday evening’s disappointing 1-0 defeat to Southampton in the first leg of the EFL Cup semi-final.

That result at St Mary’s followed a 2-2 draw with Sunderland at the Stadium of Light and a goalless stalemate against Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup third round, though the latter came with the manager fielding the youngest ever side in the club’s history with a much-changed line-up.

On Sunday, Liverpool will come up against a United side that have won their last nine fixtures in all competitions - stretching an unbeaten run to 15 matches - but Klopp is adamant his team will muster up the right response as he expressed his excitement ahead of the game.

He told his pre-match press conference: “[I look forward to it] a lot. When I woke up this morning, I really thought about why I was [feeling] in good shape and then I realised, ‘Oh yes, only two days!’ It’s good, all good.

“I can hear it in your questions and I’ve heard it when I’ve spoken to other people, because of our last game it’s a little bit ‘Oh my God… and now Manchester United’ and all that stuff. But give me 11 players and we will be competitive.

“That’s the plan and these are not just some players - they are my players and we already know a lot about each other and I know how they react to not-that-good performances. That doesn’t make us weaker, it should make us stronger than the last game for this game and be ready for it.

“It’s not about being confident before the game, it’s about getting confidence in the game with the right movements, the right kind of defending and the right kind of causing them problems.

“That’s what we think about - and for this the last game is not important, but if it gives you this last percentage of greed to fix something, then welcome and [we will] use it.”

LFCTV GO: Klopp's pre-Manchester United press conference

Heading into the Old Trafford showdown, Liverpool sit five points ahead of United in the Premier League table - the same number they are adrift of league leaders Chelsea prior to the weekend schedule.

Therefore, the stakes are considerably high for both sides, but Klopp sees no reason why the Reds shouldn’t approach with confidence.

“We are excited about the opportunity to go there and show our best,” he continued. “Of course, both teams are - especially now in the long-term - on a good run and in good shape. Maybe United have a little bit less problems with injuries or whatever, but that doesn’t mean anything.

“We can lose against each team [in the league], but we can win against each team and that’s the important thing. When you are maybe in this moment, after the last games and you can feel good before a game and think ‘Yes, it should be possible’, but then there is this moment before the game when you realise it is this opponent and they are really different to a lot of other teams.

“That’s what I think will happen on the one side and on the other side, we will realise earlier before the game that we are Liverpool, so let’s show this. We can be different to each other team in the league and that’s what we have to show.

“Nobody knows about the result. Everybody who wants a guarantee, don’t watch the game. Everybody who wants to see a real fight for a result, then watch it. I am pretty sure it will [be that way] from Manchester United and I am 100 per cent [sure] from our side that will be the case, so that is interesting.”