Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp calls Erling Haaland the 'best striker in the world' ahead of Manchester City clash.
Liverpool are winless in three Premier League games and face an in-form City at Anfield on Sunday. Haaland leads the charge and has scored 15 goals in nine Premier league games so far this season.
“Physically he sets new expectations, the combination of being extremely physical and technical and sensational awareness, his perspective on the pitch is phenomenal, he always knows where the discrepancies are, barely offside”
Klopp admitted that the Norwegian would only complicate things for his Reds. “You could see the potential when Haaland was very young, it was insane,” he said.
“Obviously when you play against somebody at the moment who is the best striker in the world you have to make sure he doesn’t get that many balls.
That’s what we will try but obviously against City, the problem is if you close Haaland down with too many players you open up gaps for all the other world class players-De Bruyne, Mahrez, Foden, Bernado Silva”
“So that will not make life easier, it’s a challenge, it’s a football problem and we will try to find a solution”
Jurgen Klopp also acknowledged that, Haaland or not, City remain the toughest hurdle in football. But he also clarified that he was not thinking about recent performances for either team and that his entire focus is on Sunday’s match.
“With City, if you can close them down here, they are there, close down that gap, you open up that gap, so it’s always a challenge. They are at the moment the best team in the world but we will give it a try”.