MatchRead Jürgen Klopp's Crystal Palace programme notes

“Including today’s fixture, we now have seven league games left this season,” writes the manager. “This does not seem like many but experience tells us that there is a lot of football still to be played and I am sure there will be the usual mixture of moments – the ups, the downs and everything in between – as the finishing line starts to come into view.

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“This is what we have to be prepared for and it is also what we want to be prepared for. These are the times that we are in football for and the best thing is that all we have to do is make the best of them that we possibly can. We do not have to listen to noise outside or get caught up in speculation, we just have to play, compete and enjoy. After that we will see where it takes us.

“The fact that we are still involved in two competitions adds to the challenge but it also increases the excitement and the opportunities. Last year, we went out of Europe pretty quickly, which was something we definitely did not enjoy, but usually we have gone far in European competitions so we are well aware of the processes and procedures that go with this.

“Obviously, there is not as much time for training and although Sunday to Thursday is quite comfortable in terms of recovery, preparation and recovery, Thursday to Sunday is more of a test but, again, we are increasingly used to this rhythm even though, as I said, it does become more challenging when we lose some hours from our preparation time.

“But what matters most now is that we embrace all of these different challenges and that we do everything we can to make the absolute best of them.

“Nothing else would make sense anyway, but I also know that everyone at the club – players, coaches, staff at the training ground, stadium and club offices and supporters – are pulling in the same direction in this regard, which is exciting in itself.

“When everyone is together in this way it can only help. Again, we know this from experience so we should definitely use this knowledge and try to turn it to our advantage in the days and weeks to come, starting today.

“I would like to offer a warm welcome to Anfield to Oliver Glasner and the players, staff and directors of Crystal Palace. Oliver is someone whose work I know pretty well as he is a manager who did a really good job in the Bundesliga with Wolfsburg and Eintracht Frankfurt before moving to Palace earlier this year.

“Replacing a club legend like Roy Hodgson would not be easy for anyone but Oliver’s record, reputation and ability make him a wise choice, I would say. I do not know how well known he was in England before he came to the Premier League, but his CV speaks for itself and it is even decorated with a Europa League, which was won a couple of seasons back with Frankfurt.

“Oliver has not been in this country for too long but already you can see his methods and his work starting to show at Palace. For this reason and many more besides, not least the quality of their players, we should prepare for a proper test today as clearly one is coming.

“Finally, with this being the day before the anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster, I would like to take this opportunity to pay my respects to those who died there and also show solidarity with the families and friends of those who were lost and the survivors who still live with their experiences. All are in my thoughts and prayers.”