Jurgen Klopp has said he wants to witness a "special game" from Liverpool when they welcome Manchester United to Anfield this Sunday in the Premier League.
The Reds and their arch rivals have experienced very different starts to the season. For Liverpool, things have been overwhelmingly positive as they sit top of the Premier League table, as well as having reached the last 16 of the Europa League and quarter-final of the Carabao Cup.
However, at Old Trafford things have been miserable. Man Utd have made a stuttering start to the campaign and were knocked out of the Champions League midweek after a tepid 1-0 defeat to Bayern Munich. In fact, Erik ten Hag's men have already conceded three or more in nine different matches this term.
Therefore, it seems likely that Liverpool will secure another victory against the Red Devils this weekend, memories of that famous 7-0 victory last season still alive.
Despite that emphatic seven-goal demolition last time out, Klopp has suggested that things will not be so simple this time around, calling on the Reds to make it a "special game" at Anfield.
Speaking in his pre-match conference, he stated: "The 7-0 we knew on the day was a freakish result that happens once in life pretty much.
"And if it helps anybody for the next game, it’s the team who lost 7-0 and not the team who won 7-0, that’s another thing. If you take it all out of consideration then we just play a football game against the rival, the historical rival, of Liverpool FC, at home at Anfield.
"That itself must make it a special game and that’s what I want to see from us: a special game. Really understand the situation and give your all – that’s all I need."
Liverpool have made a fantastic start to the season after a disappointing 2022/23 campaign, with the Reds owing their recent success to some late comeback victories.
Speaking about the influence such triumphs have had on the mentality of this new-look Liverpool, Klopp added: "Yeah, it came rather from that [comeback victories].
"I knew at the beginning [of the season] we have a really good football team. We brought a really good few boys, and actually the boys who were here we all knew how good they can be. So that was obvious from pretty early.
'I want to see a special game' ✊
Jürgen Klopp's #LIVMUN press conference 🗣️
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 15, 2023
"But what is that? Tell me one Premier League squad who is not good, that is just existing. Especially if you fight for the top four, they are all outstanding so that’s what you have to be.
"These experiences, we said it when it happened early, early in the season; we had a good pre-season, a long pre-season and we didn’t train once 10v11 and had to play it pretty much for the first five games all the time! We did that really well and yeah, that brings a group together obviously.
"That helps the process definitely if you get through it. If you don’t get through it, it’s the opposite actually. But we got through this and that was extremely helpful.
"It’s now a while ago, we know each other much better. It’s still new but we know each other much better and the steps we make I like. Will they always be big enough? I don’t know yet, we have to see that."
Liverpool likely need all three points this weekend to stay ahead of Arsenal and Aston Villa in the Premier League, while reigning champions Manchester City are still only four points off the Reds.
After the visit of Man Utd, Liverpool face a Carabao Cup quarter-final with West Ham before another tricky test at home to Arsenal in the league.
