8 months ago
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Photo by MICHAL CIZEK/AFP via Getty Images
Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp insists that despite a game against Manchester City on the weekend, his only priority for now is beating Slavia Praha.
After a highly successful if difficult month of domestic games that saw an injury-plagued Liverpool side win the League Cup, advance in the FA Cup, and hold on to top spot in the Premier League, Jürgen Klopp’s Reds resume their Europa League campaign.
Next up for them in Europe is Slavia Praha, currently four points off Czech league leaders and local rivals Sparta Praha and set up well for the Championship Round.
“We expect a really tough game, but that means also that we expect from ourselves that we play a top game,” Klopp noted. “If we can do that then it is never a joy to play against us, so that is what we hope.
“Sparta are obviously in a good moment and I think everybody with Sparta would say the exact same. Two games against Slavia, a pretty special week. The cup game they won and the other they kept distance in the table with a draw, so that’s obviously helpful.
“You can see the confidence the team is playing with, but our idea is always a little bit like they have never played us. So as good as they are we will see how it will work out.”
For Liverpool, there is a lightening of their injury concerns with Darwin Nuñez and Dominik Szoboszlai back in contention and Mohamed Salah in training, but they aren’t in the clear yet on the fitness front and have a big game against Manchester City on the horizon.
Klopp, though, insists that the only priority for now remains the Europa League tie and heading back to Anfield for the second leg with an advantage—and he’ll worry about City once tonight’s game ends.
“As far as I know it is the only game we play [Thursday] night,” he added. “So that’s the most important game we have. We would not have won the League Cup, be in the next round of the FA Cup, still be in the Europa League if we would prioritise a competition.
“We never did. Maybe it would be smart if we do it, but I am a bit dumb so I don’t know how to do that, and we go into each game with all we have and hopefully you will see that.”
