Jurgen Klopp Expects 'Proper Fight' vs. Burnley, Talks Bayern Munich Preparation
March 10, 2019
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is expecting a "proper fight" when his side take on Burnley in the Premier League on Sunday and has brushed off concerns over the limited preparation time the team will have for the UEFA Champions League clash with Bayern Munich.
The Reds go into the match at Anfield against the Clarets four points adrift of Manchester City, having held a seven-point advantage over the defending champions in January.
With Burnley in a relegation battle, they are unlikely to make things easy for the Merseyside outfit, and Klopp has said his team are prepared for an attritional encounter, per Paul Wilson of the Guardian:
"They have big strong players up front who are good at winning the ball, and the rest of the players are good at getting it to them. It is an obvious plan but a very good one, because it is difficult to deal with. As a manager your job is to make the best of what you have and since I have been in England that is what Sean Dyche has been doing.
"The game we won at Burnley in December was a big one; we were a goal down and had to come back. And last season it was the game of the season for us when we won there in the New Year. They play an ‘English game’, I think. You have to be ready for a proper fight."
The Reds boss also advised supporters to ensure they were well rested ahead of a midday kick-off:
Liverpool are the big favourites for the fixture nonetheless, and should they pick up three points, thoughts will quickly turn to their Champions League commitments.
The Reds head to Munich on Wednesday with their last-16 contest in the balance, as Bayern held the Premier League side to a 0-0 in the first leg of the tie. Klopp played down concerns over a quick turnaround from thee Burnley game, though.
"We accept the situation," he said. "We are going to do something a little bit different this time and train here on Tuesday morning before travelling, but it is not a problem. Playing Sunday and Tuesday would be a problem. Sunday-Wednesday could be better, but we are not going to complain about it."
What may be more of a concern for Klopp is Bayern's form, as they moved back to the top of the Bundesliga on Saturday after hammering Wolfsburg 6-0:
Following on from a challenging few weeks, which saw the Reds visit Manchester United and Everton, not to mention lose their mantle as Premier League leaders, Klopp will want to see his side build momentum again for the run-in.
The coming games present a reminder that while the Reds have lost their spark a little as of late, the potential is still there for a memorable end to the campaign for Liverpool, both domestically and in Europe.