Liverpool and Manchester City are set to go toe-to-toe in Sunday’s battle in the Premier League title race but it could be the last time Jurgen Klopp faces Pep Guardiola.
Jurgen Klopp dismissed fears replacing him at Liverpool will be the impossible job by claiming it will be the perfect moment for the next manager.
But the Kop boss doesn’t fancy being the man who needs to take over from all-conquering Pep Guardiola at Manchester City. Klopp and Guardiola go toe-to-toe for potentially the final time on Sunday when the Reds host the champions in a titanic title clash at Anfield.
The German is looking to finish with a flourish as he prepares to walk away from Liverpool this summer and his side could move four points clear of City with a win. But after ending the club’s 30-year wait for a league title and winning the Champions League, FA Cup and two League Cups, it will be a tough act to follow whatever happens this term.
Klopp said: “I really think it is the perfect moment for a new manager and not the wrong one because we didn’t win everything, we left spaces. Go at City after Pep Guardiola and you need to be champion ten years in a row to achieve the same.
“Maybe it was good for that reason that we didn’t become champion with 97 points!” Klopp believes Liverpool is ‘different’ and can handle the exit of such a big figure like him with Xabi Alonso the favourite to replace him.
He said: “The people here are different. The people gave Bill Shankly the chance, and what came after Bill Shankly, and they are all bigger than we are, and the people will understand in the end that this was a fantastic time and we all enjoyed it like hell.
“What a ride. But I am 100 per cent sure that what they learned over the years is if we trust and we push then everything is possible. This team will attract top class managers, 100 per cent.
“I came in at the right moment because it got lost a little bit and maybe I was the one who helped everyone to understand again how important it is. The club is special. Not because of the buildings – other clubs have nice stadiums – but because of the people.”
This could be the last time Klopp and Guardiola lock horns unless they meet again in the FA Cup. Klopp has won 12 of their 29 meetings with Guardiola claiming 11 victories in a respectful rivalry which began when they were in charge of Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich.
Guardiola has pipped Klopp in two tense title races in 2019 and 2022 while they have tussled it out in the Champions League, too. Klopp added: “It made me definitely a better manager, to find solutions against these teams to win these games.
“In this moment, I just got told now, I have a positive record against Pep. I have no clue how that happened, to be honest! But
it is all fine.”
