Manchester United has been dubbed a “results machine” by Jurgen Klopp, who also backed Liverpool’s fierce rivals to contend for the Premier League crown.
United travel to Anfield on Sunday unbeaten in 11 matches and having won 16 of their 20 games since the World Cup break.
That run of form has moved the Red Devils within 11 points of leaders Arsenal with a game in hand, and they ended a six-year trophy drought with a 2-0 victory over Newcastle United in the EFL Cup final last Sunday.
Indeed, no Premier League team has won more points than Manchester United (23) since the season resumed in December, which Klopp believes puts them in good position to challenge for the title.
“They have turned into a results machine,” Klopp said at Friday’s pre-match news conference. “They are squeezing results out with some really good performances.
“They’re playing some top football, and if it is not going so well for them they still get results. That’s why they are there [in the table].
“Everyone knows it: they are fully in a fight to win the league. That’s not really important for Sunday because we are there as well when we try to be at our best.”
Marcus Rashford’s goal-scoring form has been crucial to Manchester United’s impressive first season under Erik ten Hag, notably since the World Cup.
The England international has 10 goals in his last ten league games, including a goal in each of his last five appearances, and has 25 goals for the season in all competitions.
Only Ruud van Nistelrooy (three times), Eric Cantona (in April 1996), and Cristiano Ronaldo (in April 2008) have scored in six consecutive league games for Manchester United.
While reluctant to praise any players of Liverpool’s biggest foes, Klopp says it is hard not to take some joy from Rashford’s upturn in fortunes.
“It’s pretty much impossible to be happy about something positive at Manchester United when you are the Liverpool manager, but I am really happy for Rashford,” Klopp said.
“He had a very difficult last year where he was not performing on the level that he is able to perform.
“I knew this would change again but sometimes in life we don’t have enough time to change it. Now he is playing incredible. His speed, his technique – it is a mix of everything.
“How calm he is in front of goal. He scores worldies, he scores the simple ones, he can put his head in. All these kinds of things.
“We have to defend against that collectively. He is not their only world-class player.”
With one trophy under their belt, United are still vying for silverware on three fronts, whilst Liverpool are effectively fighting for fourth place in the league.
The Reds trail Real Madrid 5-2 going into the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie, but Klopp is upbeat about the upcoming fixtures.
“I said before last game, this is a week to give the season a proper push. Now we have to make the next steps,” he said.
“Nothing is done yet which is good for us. We all know everything is possible in football. We need to use our crowd in home games.”
Liverpool are unbeaten in six home league games against United (W3 D3) since a 1-0 loss in January 2016, their longest unbeaten streak since a nine-game streak in the 1970s.
United will be confident of ending that run on Merseyside this weekend, but Klopp insists form will play no part in what remains one of the biggest fixtures in the game.
“They have had a better season so far but thank God it means absolutely nothing on Sunday,” Klopp said.
“We have to show it’s still incredibly difficult to play against us. We have to make sure they realise that. I couldn’t be less interested in what United are doing, I just respect it.
“It’s what I enjoy most. Around these games we put ourselves out of this sometimes not so nice reality and dig into the game.
“Football is the most important thing for 98 minutes or whatever. I love that. The whole world will watch it. I would watch it if I was not here.
“It’s ‘the game’. They are playing a much better season than us but that means nothing. It doesn’t mean you win the game, it just means you have more points.”
