On the day that Liverpool face Manchester United in the Premier League, here's your Liverpool FC morning digest for Tuesday, April 19.
'He’s the best'- Richard Keys makes bold claim over Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola
Jurgen Klopp is the best coach in football right now, not Pep Guardiola, according to Richard Keys.
Liverpool's German boss masterminded an enthralling 3-2 victory over Manchester City in the FA cup semi-final at Wembley on Saturday, ending Guardiola's hope of a silverware treble but keeping the Reds' dream of an incredible quadruple well and truly alive. And despite the City manager's unquestionable success in the dugout, both in England and across Europe, it is the Anfield leader who has the upper hand in the battle of the bosses, as far as television broadcaster Keys is concerned.
Writing in his own personal blog in a post titled 'Mirror mirror….who is the greatest coach of all?', he said: "It was the wicked witch in Snow White that first asked the question - and she never got the answer she was looking for. I got to wondering this weekend what that same mirror would say to Guardiola were he to ask. I don’t think he’d get the answer he - or his cheerleaders - would expect either. I’ve got a feeling the mirror would say ‘right now - Jurgen Klopp’.
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"The more you think about it the more obvious it becomes. Klopp is at the peak of his powers. His team are 11 games from immortality. He’s built a club back from hopeful - into powerful. How good were they at Wembley? For 45 mins sensational. For the second half - competent and capable. Only for a couple of minutes at the end did they get anxious. They have the look of a team that believes anything is possible.
"'Anything’ might yet be an incredible quad. I still don’t believe it’s possible, but if City blink they’ll be all over them in the league. That's the one that’s out of Liverpool’s hands of course. Liverpool’s Champions League semi-final draw is perfect. If City make it to the final as well I know which of the two teams will be more wary of the other. Liverpool’s ‘power’ is more impressive than City’s ‘passing’. It’s the final we all want. Bring it on."
Having enthused about Liverpool's chances of adding multiple trophies to the Carabao Cup that is already in the Anfield trophy cabinet this season, Keys went on to explain how he believes Klopp is much easier for the media to deal with than a sometimes prickly Guardiola.
Keys wrote: "Klopp oozes class in his interviews. I really don’t know how he does it - one after the other - very often with the most banal line of questioning from reporters. But he gives the same time and courtesy to all.
"The same can’t be said of Guardiola - who still looks at inquisitors like they’ve got dog s*** on their shoe if they have the temerity to ask a ‘football’ question. You can see his mind working ‘me - talk to you about football? Don’t be silly’.
Read the full story HERE.
Manchester United injury troubles ahead of Liverpool fixture
Manchester United will arrive at Anfield without at least five first team players this evening, when they take on Liverpool in the Premier League.
Injury problems have been mounting for Ralph Rangnick's side, who are still chasing a Champions League qualification spot after beating Norwich City 3-2 at Old Trafford on Saturday.
The Red Devils will be without Scott McTominay, Fred, Raphael Varane, Luke Shaw and Edinson Cavani who are all side-lined with injuries. None of the five featured against the Canaries at the weekend.
The absence of Fred with a muscle injury and McTominay with a foot problem, are of particular concern to Liverpool's visitors, as they will be likely forced to play Nemanja Matic and Paul Pogba in the heart of midfield.
Luke Shaw's season appears to be over as he is set to have an operation to have metal screws removed from his leg, while striker Cavani is out with a calf injury and may have now played his last game for the club.
Victory for Liverpool would put the Reds two points clear at the top of the Premier League table for 24 hours at least, before Manchester City host Brighton & Hove Albion at the Etihad Stadium.
Full story here on the MEN website.
