Jurgen Klopp admits it’s borderline impossible to be happy for Manchester United when you’re Liverpool manager – but in-form Marcus Rashford is an exception to that rule.
United have enjoyed a steady rise under the management of Erik ten Hag, winning the Carabao Cup on Sunday to lift a first trophy in six years while remaining in contention for an unlikely quadruple.
The Red Devils’ rise has coincided with a difficult season for Liverpool. Klopp’s side have again been decimated with injuries – this time to a number of their star forwards – but they’ve struggled to cope with the intensity of games in midfield and have often been overrun.
Four successive clean sheets and ten points from a possible 12 have revived Liverpool’s hopes of a top four finish, making Sunday’s clash with United at Anfield all the more important.
Speaking ahead of the game, Klopp acknowledged that it’s difficult to be take positives from United firing on all cylinders – but the German reserved special praise for the return to form of Rashford, who has been absolutely sensational post-World Cup after a troubled 2021/22 campaign.
“It’s pretty much impossible to be happy about something positive at Manchester United when you are the Liverpool manager – but I am really happy for Rashford because he had a very difficult last year where he was not performing on the level that he is able to perform,” Klopp said.
“I knew this would change again but sometimes in life we don’t have enough time to change it. Now he is playing incredible. His speed, his technique – it is a mix of everything. How calm he is in front of goal. He scores worldies, he scores the simple ones, he can put his head in. All these kinds of things.
Klopp did admit that his concerns for Sunday’s game extend beyond Rashford though, adding of his United teammates: “We have to defend against that collectively. He is not their only world-class player. I really like [Bruno] Fernandes. His movement is really smart. I like the way he shows up, all of a sudden he is there.
“Casemiro is also linking up with Fred alongside him. The man-marking way they defend makes it really physical. They also have the counter-attacks and the other winger, whoever that may be – [Jadon] Sancho – and up front, the Dutch fella [Wout Weghorst], is really physical, so it is a good set-up.
“It is obviously not a team built up for the next 20 years because of the players they have signed. It is for now – but now they are really good.”
