If this is the latest time Old Trafford plays host to Jurgen Klopp and Mo Salah, then it’s probably fair to say they won’t be missed by many amongst the Manchester United fanbase.
And the sight of Klopp turning the air a deep shade of blue after Kobbie Mainoo span and smashed Erik ten Hag’s side 2-1 up against bitter rivals Liverpool on Sunday afternoon is certainly the sort of farewell ‘gift’ the Manchester United supporters can buy into.
Klopp is never the most gracious in disappointment at the best of times. Just ask that poor ViaPlay reporter. The German, leaving Anfield this summer potentially alongside Salah, could not resist the chance to aim a dig in Ten Hag’s direction following that eventual 2-2 draw, insisting that – if Man United play to the same level against Arsenal on the penultimate weekend of the Premier League season – the three points will only be heading in one direction.
But even Klopp could do nothing but applaud (metaphorically of course) the goal that drew Man United level yesterday, Bruno Fernandes pouncing on a Jarrel Quansah error as he did his best Scott McTominay vs Manchester City circa 2020 impression.
Stunners from Bruno Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo
“It’s obviously mixed (feelings),” Klopp, who has won only one of six games against Ten Hag and none out of three this season, tells the Liverpool website.
“Happy with a lot of parts of the game. Being 1-0 up at Old Trafford and having a 15-0 shooting stat (in the first-half) is incredible.
“Come outside (for the second-half) and still controlling the game and then we gave the ball away. These mistakes happened before and will happen after today as well, so that is not a problem.
“First you have to use it like Bruno did. It was a pretty exceptional finish. In this mood lift in the stadium, atmosphere lifted in the stadium, they pretty much scored the second and then we controlled the game again.”
Klopp also singled out a few moments of genuine brilliance both from 18-year-old Mainoo – opening his Old Trafford account with a glorious finish on the turn – and another stand-out save from the eternally-overworked Andre Onana.
The Cameroonian, so consistent in 2024, denied Dominik Szoboszlai early on with a stop straight out of the Peter Schmeichel playbook.
Manchester United frustrate Liverpool again
“We should have won the game, that is clear,” Klopp argues, Liverpool scoring only twice from 62 shots on goal against Man United in the Premier League this season (BBC Sport). “We should have had other goals in the first half already.
“Really well done from Bruno. We needed a few minutes to settle again, and they scored another screamer. We had big chances before and after they scored.
“As far as I’m concerned, we have one point more than we did before. They put an extra shift in, that is how it is. We will face that again against Everton. A fully deserved equaliser.
“It says to me immediately again there is probably something around the finishing. It was either exceptional goalkeeping – which was the case for one situation for Dom Szoboszlai, an incredible save – but besides that we should and could have been calmer and clearer in moments. It’s fine, you are 1-0 up now and so still fine.”
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