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Jurgen Klopp admits Liverpool face Erling Haaland dilemma during Manchester City clash
Jurgen Klopp admits Liverpool face Erling Haaland dilemma during Manchester City clash
Erling Haaland is currently the best striker in the world, according to Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, but he has cautioned his team not to focus solely on the Manchester City man.
Haaland has had a remarkable start to life in England since moving from Borussia Dortmund in the summer.
Erling Haaland (photo by Getty images)He has only failed to score in one of the matches he has started in either the domestic or European leagues.
20 goals have already been scored by City, with 15 of those coming in as few as nine Premier League games.
As Pep Guardiola’s team travels to Anfield on Sunday hoping to extend their unbeaten start to the season, Liverpool is the next team entrusted with trying to slow down the 22-year-old.
“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,” Klopp said.
“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.
“So that will not make life easier, it’s a challenge, it’s a football problem and we will try to find a solution.”
He added: “When he was very young, you could see the potential, it was insane.
“Physically he sets new standards, the combination of being really physical and technical and sensational awareness, his orientation on the pitch is exceptional, he knows always where the decisive gaps are, barely offside.
“There are other tall, physical, technical strikers – Zlatan [Ibrahimovic], for example – but Erling Haaland combines so many things. It’s rare.”
“When you play City, results left and right [before and after] are not really important because this game requires all your focus, all the things you know about football,” Klopp said.
“I enjoy preparing for the game but it is the biggest challenge you can face in football.
“But it’s a home game, Anfield, us against Man City, they are at the moment the best team in the world but we will give it a try, knowing we can get help from a full Anfield and we will try to use that.”
In other news, Full Liverpool squad available to face Man City as 6 players out and fresh injury doubt emerges
