Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has acknowledged that the intense rivalry between his team and Manchester City, which reached new heights between 2018 and 2022, may have given way to a new era of competition.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has acknowledged that the intense rivalry between his team and Manchester City, which reached new heights between 2018 and 2022, may have given way to a new era of competition. Ahead of Liverpool’s FA Cup match against Brighton, a ground where the Reds lost 3-0 in the league earlier this month, Klopp acknowledged that the level of consistency both teams had shown in that period was “crazy” but that it’s unlikely to continue in the same way.
“What happened in the league with City and us in the last few years was absolutely exceptional,” said Klopp. “It is a bit embarrassing to say but the level of consistency we showed in that period is crazy. Absolutely crazy. But we don’t use that even one percent as an excuse to say ‘five years we have been in charge of football, now we have to watch it like this’.”
Klopp went on to state that consistency is the most difficult thing to achieve in football and that it will be tough for teams to stay at the top, qualify for Europe and the Champions League, and especially to become champions. He cited the improved quality of teams, the money in the sport, and the quality of coaches as factors that will make it difficult for any team to maintain a dominant position.
“It will be absolutely difficult because of the quality of the teams, the money around and the quality of the coaches which has improved a lot as well,” said Klopp. “Arsenal are a sensational team. Mikel had time pretty much with just a little bit of European football in the last few years and he is doing an outstanding job. They will not go away easily and say ‘we had a year, thank you very much. United is in a really good moment, whatever happens there they will not stop investing and improving.”
In summary, Jurgen Klopp, the manager of Liverpool Football Club, has acknowledged that the intense rivalry between his team and Manchester City, which reached new heights between 2018 and 2022, may have given way to a new era of competition.
The German tactician pointed out that the level of consistency both teams had shown in that period was “crazy” but that it’s unlikely to continue in the same way due to the improved quality of teams, the money in the sport, and the quality of coaches making it difficult for any team to maintain a dominant position.