Programme notesJürgen Klopp: Stevie will want to beat us today - we have to be ready
Jürgen Klopp is looking forward to welcoming Steven Gerrard back to Anfield today, but warned the Aston Villa manager is returning with the sole aim of trying to secure three points for his new club.
The Liverpool legend was appointed to the Villa Park helm last month and has steered the side to three wins from four matches in the Premier League.
It promises to be an emotionally charged afternoon at Anfield as Gerrard returns as an opponent for the first time since leaving the club to take up the reins at Glasgow Rangers in 2018.
“There will be no person inside this stadium today more keen to keep the focus entirely on the match itself than Steven,” Klopp wrote in his matchday programme column. “This is a tough column to write in many respects, because of course it is important to acknowledge what a significant moment it is having him return today but at the same time not lose sight of the fact that for 90 minutes we are opponents.
“It’s fantastic news for the Premier League to have Steven Gerrard in our competition as a manager. Typical of him, he has done everything properly on his path to such a terrific club like Villa.
“I remember the discussion we had when it was very early in his coaching career and we talked about the most suitable role at LFC for that to begin. Stevie chose a tough route. He didn’t want shortcuts. Speak to our Academy staff and they’ll tell you he was a guy who didn’t want his previous status within the club to count for anything when he started.
“He wanted to be judged on the work he did as a coach and U18s manager. I can’t begin to tell you how much respect I had for him in how he went about that.
“And then, his first senior job was far from being a holiday. The expectation and history of a great club like Rangers could have been difficult for a lesser leader, but he made them better each season and eventually he made them champions.
“Steven is the professional he is and has had the career he has had, until now, because he has always had focus on one thing: winning!
“He doesn’t come here today for any sentiment or nostalgia. He comes to win. He comes to beat us. This is how it should be and we must be ready.
“Of course, there will be an opportunity for our supporters to show love, respect and affection for a person who is rightly considered one of the all-time greats to ever wear a Liverpool shirt. But that is completely separate to the game.
“Steven is a serious guy. His commitment to Aston Villa today is absolute. They will be an extremely dangerous opponent who are full of confidence and in good form and we have to be ready.”
Liverpool head into the contest on a run of six consecutive wins in all competitions – most recently in Italy, where AC Milan were defeated 2-1 at San Siro in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
“We too are in a good moment, but we are in it because our players avoid distraction and keep tunnel vision on performance in the next game only,” Klopp continued.
“Tuesday night in Milan was very pleasing and to progress through such a tough group with a 100 per cent record made me very proud of my players. But it was evident after how quickly the team drew a line. We know we cannot take any of that through with us when the knockout stages start, so we don’t dwell.
“We are satisfied that we achieved an objective – qualification to the next stage – but that is all for now.
“It is exactly the same with our domestic focus. We have had some nice moments in recent weeks and we enjoyed them at the time, but they too must be boxed off.
“Aston Villa is such a strong team and we cannot have our minds on anything today other than winning individual and collective battles during the 90 minutes plus stoppage time. Stay totally in the game. Know there will be setbacks within the contest itself and be ready to respond. Know that today the only thing that can be won is three points, so let’s try with all we have to achieve that.
“This squad has shown they all recognise the value of their contribution, and for us to enjoy great moments every single person has to perform to their best each and every day. I can’t begin to tell you how valuable that is, to have players who recognise it and embrace it.
“I know our supporters enjoyed the footage of the reaction on the bench to our winning goal at Wolves, seeing players who didn’t get on the pitch that day celebrate as wildly as those who did. I totally understand why fans love those scenes so much. But that really is just a tiny snapshot of the mentality and togetherness our group has.
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“More importantly than how they celebrate is how they approach their work on a daily basis, how they train and keep themselves ready to perform when called upon. I can tell you, until now, it is one of the best I have experienced.
“We are in the most intense period of the campaign and it’s a period that lasts for weeks and weeks. We are nothing and will achieve nothing without the total commitment of this entire playing squad. We are so blessed, as a club, to have this remarkable group of players who put collective achievement above all else. It must stay this way and we will all work to make it so.”
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