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Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images
Klopp talked up Manchester City before traveling to the Etihad for a massive early season showdown.
Liverpool travel to Manchester City today, with the tantalizing possibility of going top of the league with a rare win at the Etihad. It is far and away the toughest challenge of the still young season, for the new look “Liverpool 2.0.”
City, for their part, have made their home one of the toughest places in Europe to play, reeling off an impressive 23 consecutive wins in all comps.
For this Liverpool side, it is the ultimate litmus test, to see if they are real contenders for the title this season. Klopp also recognizes the importance of going to City and showing that the Reds are ready to compete, in stark contrast to last year’s disappointing rendition.
“I actually think without any kind of changes we would have improved from last season because the last season was just not good enough, was not ourselves and these kind of things,” Klopp said in yesterday’s press conference.
“We had to make changes as well and we did that.
“We knew it but [that’s] what we had to do and that’s what we did. So far it looks like we brought in good players, I know that, and now we have to make sure we bring that consistently on the pitch.
“But Saturday is a big one, no doubt about that, it’s the strongest team in the world for the last years, so that’s a massive task for each football team in the world and for us as well. But we will give it a try anyway.”
Given City’s dominance at home, any result better than a loss would feel massive, especially considering City have yet to travel to Anfield. And, as Klopp noted, all winning streaks must come to an end.
Liverpool 2.0 will have to play a nearly perfect game to come home with all three points. I’m not sure we’ve seen this side rise to the occasion, yet. However, it is a massive opportunity to put a marker down, and let City and the rest of the league know that Jurgen’s Reds are back, and not to be taken lightly.
