Programme notesJürgen Klopp: We cannot sit back and enjoy what we've done

“I would have to be pretty removed from reality if I did not realise what a game like this means to the outside world. It is, to state the obvious, a big one,” writes the manager.

“At the same time, for us it is simply the next one, so it makes sense that we approach it as we have done all the others previously because doing it this way has not worked out too badly so far.

“One of the starting points for this is respecting the opposition, something that is not too difficult when the opposition is a City team which has been incredibly successful under Pep Guardiola, a manager who I could not have more respect for and someone who I believe is already a legend of our game, even though he still has so many years ahead of him.

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“I have spoken many times of my admiration for Pep. I understand that this is not always easy to understand for those who want to see only a rivalry, but I can speak only as I find and in Pep’s case I am more than able to put aside the fact that we are on opposite sides and recognise how much he has brought not just to City but to football as a whole.

“The good news is that up to now we have been able to be respectful at the same time as being competitive. It goes without saying that today he will want to win, and I will want to win just as much, but when the final whistle goes, I hope that we will once again be able to share a handshake and move on whatever the result may be.

“So, I welcome Pep, his staff and players to Anfield knowing that they will be coming here looking to give us a knock. Again, this is the way it should be. As long as we are aware of it and prepared for the challenge that they will bring – and we will be doing everything we possibly can to make sure we are after the trip to Prague – so that we can be the most difficult opponent that City can face.

“While recent weeks have not been easy for a number of reasons, they have also been very positive so we can and should take a lot of confidence from the results we have had and also the way that they have been achieved. The deadline for these notes came before the fixture in Prague but leading up to that game we had a super-difficult situation with four matches in 11 days, but we found a way to win each of them despite having so many problems to deal with.

“How the boys fought through these challenges is super-special. I have been in this country for almost nine years now but still I do not have the English words to describe how impressive it has been. What I can say is that it has needed an unbelievable effort because at the start of this period I would not have thought it would be possible to win all four of those games with the situation that we had with our squad.

“But now we have to go again. We always have to go again. There is no moment where we can sit back and enjoy what we have done. We have to go looking for the next test and throw ourselves into it because if we do not do that the next test will come looking for us. The good news is that we get to do this with so many possibilities ahead of us, starting with today.

“Finally, I have spoken so many times this season already about the difference that our supporters can and do make. I am not sure that it is necessary for me to say this today because I know our fans well enough to realise that they sense moments better than anyone. They sensed moments at Nottingham Forest last weekend, against Luton in our last home league game and in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley and each time they helped us to get us over the line.

“It does not take too much imagination to think that there will be moments when this is needed again today so the more that you can be with us the better. Anfield at its noisy, passionate best is one of the best things I have ever experienced in football. It would not be too bad if it could be like this again today.”

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