Manchester United interim manager Ralf Rangnick says Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola are the 'best coaches on the planet' ahead of this weekend's Manchester derby.
Liverpool and City are currently battling it out at the top of the Premier League table and the Reds will hope to close the gap on their rivals with a win over West Ham on Saturday.
The league title for the last four seasons has been won by either side, City have won three since the 2017/18 season, while Liverpool ended their 30-year wait for the prize in 2020.
Rangnick, who was brought in as interim boss at United back in November, praised the pair and said they have a 'clear idea' of football.
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"Jurgen and Pep are the two best coaches on the planet," he told his press conference on Friday.
"It is pretty easy in football. You need the best possible people, have a clear idea and stick to it."
Rangnick may be in charge at Old Trafford and the two teams may be fierce rivals, but there is a long-standing respect between the United boss and Klopp.
"Jurgen [Klopp] and myself have known each other since 1997," Rangnick explained back in December.
"I was not his mentor – that was a coach called Wolfgang Frank – but we have always been in contact and had a good relationship with each other. We respect each other and that will continue.
"I remember before Jurgen became head coach at Mainz and he called me. I was at Ulm at the time and Jurgen asked me what kind of money he should be asking for from Mainz. He didn’t have an agent, so I told him."
The pair are set to come up against each other later this season and the meeting was initially scheduled for later this month.
However, Liverpool's involvement in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup has resulted in the match being postponed and it will be rearranged.
