Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has said that despite being seven points below Liverpool, Manchester City are the best team in the world.
The Reds play their first match of 2019 against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium tomorrow. Following a 5-1 drubbing of Arsenal, Liverpool play their toughest match of the season. The last time Liverpool faced Manchester City in the latter’s backyard was the Champions League quarter-finals which they won 2-1.
Liverpool’s home leg against Manchester City ended in a goalless draw.
Speaking ahead of Thursday’s game, Klopp showered praise on Pep Guardiola’s team who ended 2018 by beating Southampton 3-1. Klopp said, “It is a normal game against Manchester City but a very difficult one, one of the most difficult you can play in modern football. They are a really strong football team with an outstanding manager. Before you play them, you never know.
We have to be prepared as good as possible, be brave, full of desire and angry again like in all the other games. The opponent is, for me, still the best in the world.”
Klopp also spoke about James Milner’s availability for tomorrow’s clash. Milner missed Liverpool’s last two league fixtures against Newcastle and Arsenal owing to a hamstring problem.
Klopp said, “He was back in training with us yesterday for the first time, so we will see.”
After playing Manchester City, Liverpool travel to the Molineux Stadium on Monday to kick-off their FA Cup campaign against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
