Liverpool vs. Watford: Jurgen Klopp's Key Pre-Match Press Conference Comments

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has played down talk of his team holding an advantage in the Premier League due to a lack of European commitments and suggested Manchester United may be in a similar situation in the new year.

The German coach addressed the media on Friday ahead of his team's showdown with Watford at Anfield on Sunday. When asked about the workload that comes with competing in domestic and European tournaments, Klopp challenged his team to make the most of the extra rest and couldn't resist a little dig at Liverpool's rivals, per Liam Prenderville of the Daily Mirror:

"

For the last six, seven years I was always travelling through Europe. I never thought "this is too much". If you want to be successful, you need European football.

We have to show we use the time for training over the whole season, not the first 10 games.

Did you ask the same of Antonio Conte? They have the same situation. Maybe Manchester United have the same from January onwards?

"

Bleacher Report UK summed up what Klopp had to say about the Red Devils:

Klopp was speaking the day after United's defeat to Fenerbahce in the UEFA Europa League, a result that leaves Jose Mourinho's side facing an uphill battle to qualify for the knockout stages.

Indeed, the Liverpool boss also encouraged his players to make the most of their time off, with a flurry of international fixtures followed by a block of domestic games in the weeks to come, per James Pearce of the Liverpool Echo:

One player who won't be involved in these matches for the Reds is Danny Ings. Having missed much of the previous campaign with a knee injury, the forward suffered another problem that requires surgery, meaning he'll likely miss the entirety of 2016-17, too.

Despite his succession of recent setbacks, Klopp has made it clear he has total faith in the former Burnley man to bounce back:

The Liverpool boss also discussed the promotion of Michael Edwards from technical director to sporting director at Anfield.

The club confirmed Edwards' appointment to the position on Friday. It's a role that will see him continue to work alongside Klopp, and the Reds chief is pleased that will be the case:

Klopp also spoke of why it's important to have figures such as sporting directors in place, having stated that it's vital to have stability in all areas of the football club, not just in terms of the manager:

The German also spoke about Sunday's opponents, who have enjoyed a strong start to the season under new coach Walter Mazzarri.

Watford come into this game having reached a lofty seventh place in the table, and the Hornets are ahead of Manchester United. Having already faced the likes of Arsenal, United and Chelsea, Watford have every right to be proud of their efforts.

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Klopp commented on the defensive robustness they've showcased in recent outings and the difficulties that will pose his team:

However, scoring goals has not been an issue for the Reds as of late, as they've played some of the most attractive attacking football in the country. The manager thought it important to preserve this positive groove for as long as possible:

It's in weeks like this one when Klopp may be thankful that he doesn't have a European tie to negotiate. As a result, he will have had time to study Watford, their unique system and how his players can go about securing the three points against an awkward opponent.

Meanwhile, the two teams they are level with atop the table—Manchester City and Arsenal—have faced difficult UEFA Champions League clashes. While Klopp will be keen to bring elite-level European football back to Anfield in the future, there's no doubt having a solitary focus on the domestic title can give his side an edge this season.