Manchester United vs. Liverpool: Jurgen Klopp's Key Pre-Match Presser Comments

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has admitted his team still need to be wary of Manchester United in their UEFA Europa League second-leg at Old Trafford on Thursday, despite holding a two-goal advantage in the tie.

Speaking to the press on the eve of the contest, the German was in typically relaxed mood, no doubt enhanced by the 2-0 win at Anfield over their bitter rivals last week.

However, Klopp has warned that a manager like Louis van Gaal will have a plan for the big occasion, per Carl Markham of the Press Association:

The game on Merseyside was billed as a match that would most likely be a tight affair, but on the night, the hosts dominated.

Indeed, Liverpool should have effectively ended this tie as a contest given the chances they had, with United goalkeeper David De Gea on hand to make a string of exceptional saves for his side.

Because the scoreline was kept down to 2-0, Klopp insisted he’s not getting carried away, per James Pearce of the Liverpool Echo:

It’s for that reason the team decided to train at Old Trafford the day before the game, the former Borussia Dortmund boss revealed, with United declining to do the same at Anfield seven days ago, per BBC Sport’s Juliette Ferrington:

Klopp was also quizzed on what will no doubt be a raucous atmosphere for his players to cope with on Thursday evening.

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As is often the case on European nights, Anfield was a cauldron of noise when United visited on Thursday, with even Van Gaal himself commenting on the din created by the Reds faithful.

The Liverpool manager doesn’t feel as though the backdrop created by fans will be important in this one, though:

One player who may be key to creating a fierce atmosphere for the home side is Marouane Fellaini, a footballer always willing to commit when it comes to physical challenges.

In the first leg, there were some questions as to whether the Belgian had overstepped the mark, though, as he appeared to fling an arm in the face of Liverpool midfielder Emre Can in the final stages.

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The Reds boss admitted he was confused by UEFA’s decision not to administer some sort of suspension after reviewing the incident, especially given his own history when it comes to punishments:

Nevertheless, Klopp was noticeably excited ahead of the fixture. After all, this is a position no Liverpool manager has been in previously, with these two games the first time these two great rivals have ever met in European competition:

Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson was also alongside Klopp on Wednesday and insisted that regardless of the circumstances, his team will operate in their usual, high-octane style:

Although losing the Capital One Cup final represented a significant disappointment for Liverpool, since that defeat, it feels as though the team has been making bigger strides under their manager. The performance against United in the previous clash, in which they were overwhelmingly dominant, was certainly the most pertinent indicator of that to date.

Klopp has been in football long enough to know these occasions are never straightforward, and he is right to pay full respect to an opponent such as United. But it’s clear he’s confident in the qualities of his team, and it’d be a major surprise if they were unable to progress at Old Trafford on Thursday.