Premier League

WITHIN minutes of Jurgen Klopp’s bombshell announcement that he will leave Liverpool, panicked fans were making comparisons with Sir Alex Ferguson.Their fear is that Klopp’s exit in May will do to Liverpool, what Ferguson’s 2013 retirement did to Manchester United.
Jurgen Klopp is so entwined with Liverpool that his exit will be felt sorely this summerCredit: PA
It could have the same magnitude as Fergie’s Man Utd exit, with his club struggling ever sinceCredit: Getty
While Ferguson’s tenure at Old Trafford was three times longer than Klopp’s Anfield reign, that is the extent to which the German embodies his team and his club.
It instantly felt impossible to imagine Liverpool being recognisable as Liverpool without Klopp. And it felt highly likely that the club will head into decline.
There is no Boot Room now. And while Xabi Alonso  is an obvious successor with Liverpool connections, he is a very different character to Klopp.
But while comparisons with Ferguson in 2013 are obvious, the more immediate concern for Kop supporters should be comparisons with Fergie in 2001.
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It is often forgotten that the great Scot announced, at the start of the 2001-02 campaign, that the upcoming season would be his last at the Red Devils, only to make a mid-season U-turn.
Indeed, when told of that Ferguson story yesterday, Klopp was staggered that he wasn’t aware of it. But Ferguson described that announcement as the “biggest mistake I ever made”.
He added: “I think a lot of the players had put their tools away. They thought ‘Oh, the manager’s leaving’.”
United had just won three titles in a row but that season they ended up third and failed to win any silverware.
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As Liverpool hunt a quadruple — top of the league, having just booked their place in the Carabao Cup final and still going strong in the FA Cup and Europa League — the worry should be that Klopp’s announcement will derail this excellent current campaign.
His players won’t suddenly lose their desire to dethrone Manchester City as champions or to beat Chelsea at Wembley next month.
Indeed, there will be plenty of talk about ‘doing it for Jurgen’.
To give him the perfect send-off by winning the Europa League and FA Cup finals in late May.
Yet subconsciously, the blow of knowing that a man regarded as a force of nature has admitted to “running out of energy” cannot be underestimated.
Klopp is only 56. Fifteen years younger than Ferguson when he eventually retired. Twenty years younger than Roy Hodgson.
But in an honest, soul-bearing press conference yesterday, he kept referencing how old he felt.
He said he was “no young rabbit”. When asked if he would give the board advice on his successor, he claimed: “The last thing they need is advice from the old man walking out.”
He said he looked as though he had aged far more than nine years since his arrival in October 2015.
RIGHT TIME TO GO
And he admitted to feeling “relief’ in November, when he made his decision to go. Klopp even started talking about himself in the past tense.
He sounded burnt out, while insisting that he wasn’t burnt out yet but was  convinced he would be burnt out by the summer, which is not how burn out  usually works.
To his players this must be unsettling. Klopp will have felt like a constant, life without him unthinkable until yesterday. Only defender Joe Gomez predates the German’s arrival.
Klopp embodies this Liverpool side because their greatest attribute is  an energy which originates from the manager himself. Watch him on any matchday.
The way he stands and eyeballs the opposition from the halfway line during their warm-up, while rival bosses take a breather.
The way he kicks every ball and harangues every fourth official. The way he celebrates routine wins so exuberantly in front of the Kop.
Then watch his team, pressing the opposition with murderous intent,  smothering them and attacking with such speed and focus.
Klopp and his team of mentality monsters are as one. And how Klopp has embraced the ‘us against the world’ mentality of his adopted city, their outsider identity, their ‘This Means More’ romanticism.
Even yesterday, as he announced the mother of all distractions, he claimed the only distractions would come from an “outside world” desperate to derail his trophy-chasing team.
FOREVER A RED
He may be German but he is more Scouse than most Scousers. Klopp is a great of English club management. Yes, there has been ‘only’ one European Cup and ‘only’ one league title.
But between 2018 and 2022, the  Reds reached three Champions League finals and chalked up at least 92  Premier League points on three separate occasions — a tally Fergie only reached once.
And after last season’s dip, Klopp refreshed his midfield and reinvigorated his team to such an extent that their only defeat in 27 domestic matches was the VAR-inflicted farce at Tottenham.
For a club without Manchester City’s state-funding to have challenged Pep Guardiola’s side so frequently has been extraordinary.
While there is spite between City and Liverpool on the terraces and in the boardroom, there is vast respect between Guardiola and Klopp.
Guardiola often refers to Klopp as his greatest rival and motivation.
The Catalan has been at the Etihad for only eight months less than Klopp has ruled Liverpool and the two share an obsessive workaholism.
Klopp’s announcement is a reminder that even the most relentless men still have limits.
For now, Guardiola will regard this as a boost before another classic City- Liverpool title run-in.
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Klopp’s admittance of exhaustion is no sign of weakness. His self-awareness is commendable.
Yet still, when a manager announces he is going, the dynamic of a football club changes. Just ask Ferguson. More

JURGEN KLOPP’S amazing nine-year glow-up at Liverpool has left the Reds boss looking almost unrecognisable.Despite joking he looks older than he should, the pictures tell a different story.
Jurgen Klopp has enjoyed a nine-year glow-up as Liverpool managerCredit: PA
He looks almost completely unrecognisable from his 2015 Anfield unveilingCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Speaking after announcing his decision to step down at the end of the season, he joked: “The last three years, you can count as dog years.
“If you look at a picture from 2015 and now you’d say: ‘That’s only nine years (apart)?!”
Klopp has had both his teeth and eyes done during his Anfield tenure.
His transformation has seen him ditch his glasses and amaze fans with his pearly whites.
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The 56-year-old has reportedly had veneers implanted during his time in England.
Dr Robbie Hughes, who has become the go-to dentist for Liverpool players, said in 2019: “Working with Jurgen Klopp came about because he saw Roberto’s new teeth and decided he wanted to do something.
“When Jurgen came to see us, he basically just said he liked Roberto’s teeth, that he wouldn’t want to go quite as white, but he liked his teeth.”
However, Klopp later claimed he had instead had them fixed after an initial medical problem left him needing antibiotics.
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Xabi Alonso is the perfect man for the jobBy Dan King
XABI ALONSO ticks almost every box to succeed Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool manager, and if Bayer Leverkusen don’t let their lead at the top of the Bundesliga slip the case for him to do so will be irresistible.
The former Kop idol knows the club inside out after five seasons at Anfield and has made no secret of his enduring affection.
Alonso has already forged a reputation as an innovative coach playing an attractive, pressing style, usually in a fluid 3-4-2-1 formation.
He has taken Leverkusen from second bottom of the Bundesliga to seven-points clear at the top, putting them on course to be crowned German champions for the first time in their 120-year history.
It’s worth remembering that both Rafa Benitez and Klopp arrived at Anfield with proof they could dethrone clubs who dominated their leagues.
For Alonso to do the same, in only his second season as a top-flight manager, would mark him out as something special.
It is that lack of long-term experience that would still make appointing him to replace Klopp a gamble.
But otherwise, he looks like the perfect candidate as Liverpool are forced to plan a future without the man who made them champions of England, Europe and the world.

A medical problem forced Klopp to get his teeth fixedCredit: PA

He explained: “It was not that I saw Bobby Firmino’s teeth and went ‘I want them!’
“It’s a long procedure and I had to go to the toilet. When I went I looked in the mirror and they’re really small – I realised, that’s the point of never going back, you have to do it now.
“I mean I like them, but obviously it’s different. They feel comfortable, it’s all good.”
As for his glasses, Klopp ditched them after his first six years in charge, having worn them since the age of ten.
The Reds boss underwent minor surgery to fix his eyesight during the summer of 2021.
He told Bild at the time: “It’s actually totally private, but I can explain it to you once, too. I’ve been wearing glasses since I was ten years old – that’s 44 years.
“The problem in recent years was that the glasses could no longer correct my poor eyesight.
“The solution to this was a minor intervention. It wasn’t lasering or anything, but it made me see very well without glasses at the moment.
“I think my face is weird without glasses, but I don’t need them anymore.
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“I may need one more. When that happens, I’ll wear glasses again.”
Klopp wore glasses for the first six years of his Liverpool tenureCredit: AFP More

MANCHESTER UNITED fans are convinced Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool exit is a blessing in disguise.The Reds manager will step down from his role at the end of the season after eight-and-a-half years.
Manchester United fans have said ‘we are so back’ after Erik ten Hag’s comments resurfacedCredit: Getty
Jurgen Klopp’s decision to leave Liverpool is a blessing in disguise, claim United fansCredit: Reuters
During that time, he has won seven major trophies, including the Champions League and Premier League.
Alongside Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, Liverpool have become a dominant force in the Premier League.
The two clubs are the only sides to win the title since 2017, with Klopp ending Liverpool’s 30-year wait in 2020.
Meanwhile, United have failed to add to their record 20 titles since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013.
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With Klopp leaving and Guardiola’s contract up at the end of next season, fans believe their time has now come.
Reacting to the Liverpool boss’ exit on X, formerly Twitter, one supporter wrote: “Klopp is leaving. Pep will leave too. New ownership in #MUFC. We are back on top!”
Another added: “We are so back. Klopp gone. Ratcliffe sacking everyone in sight. Pep and the 115 charges will be gone soon. All will be well again.”
A third fan commented: “Klopp leaving Liverpool. Pep in the last year of his contract. ‘Eras come to an end’ – Erik ten Hag.”
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Xabi Alonso is the perfect man for the jobBy Dan King
XABI ALONSO ticks almost every box to succeed Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool manager, and if Bayer Leverkusen don’t let their lead at the top of the Bundesliga slip the case for him to do so will be irresistible.
The former Kop idol knows the club inside out after five seasons at Anfield and has made no secret of his enduring affection.
Alonso has already forged a reputation as an innovative coach playing an attractive, pressing style, usually in a fluid 3-4-2-1 formation.
He has taken Leverkusen from second bottom of the Bundesliga to seven-points clear at the top, putting them on course to be crowned German champions for the first time in their 120-year history.
It’s worth remembering that both Rafa Benitez and Klopp arrived at Anfield with proof they could dethrone clubs who dominated their leagues.
For Alonso to do the same, in only his second season as a top-flight manager, would mark him out as something special.
It is that lack of long-term experience that would still make appointing him to replace Klopp a gamble.
But otherwise, he looks like the perfect candidate as Liverpool are forced to plan a future without the man who made them champions of England, Europe and the world.

One more also admitted: “With Klopp leaving and Pep probably round the corner as well, this is the perfect time for Manchester United to build a team to win titles again.
“If Ineos can’t get it right in a time like this nobody ever will.”
Erik ten Hag’s comments from his Old Trafford unveiling in 2022 have also resurfaced.
The United boss insisted he was ready to end City and Liverpool’s periods of dominance after succeeding interim manager Ralf Rangnick.
He explained at the time: “In this moment, I admire them both, Manchester City and Liverpool.
“They both play really fantastic football, both Liverpool and Man City. But you will always see an era can come to an end and I am looking forward to battling with them. I’m really looking forward to doing this job at this club with massive history.
“And we want to restore it to where it belongs.”
Ten Hag ended United’s six-year trophy drought by winning the Carabao Cup last season and could still add the FA Cup this term. More

FANS are losing their minds after discovering an incredible stat about Jurgen Klopp’s famous Liverpool team.The Reds have been hugely successful under Klopp, winning five major honours since he took over in 2015.
This iconic Jurgen Klopp team only started one match togetherCredit: Getty – Contributor
Joe Gomez and James Milner often filled in when requiredCredit: The Times
And they could add up to four more as they bid to see their legendary boss off with a famous quadruple this season.
Despite Klopp’s current side’s success so far this term, it’s Liverpool team of 2018-21 that will for ever be associated with the German, for their “heavy metal” football as well as their trophy haul.
The Reds followed up their 2019 Champions League success by winning the Premier League a year later – their first title for 30 years.
But the classic line-up that fans associate with the Liverpool team of that area – including the likes of Alisson, Virgin van Dijk and Mo Salah – actually only played together ONCE.
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That came in their biggest game of the lot, the 2019 Champions League final against Spurs in Madrid.
Klopp’s iconic front three of Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino were joined by captain Jordan Henderson and fellow midfielders Georginio Wijnaldum and Fabinho.
Along with the back five of Alisson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joel Matip, van Dijk and Andy Robertson, that side seemed ever-present in those years.
Incredibly though, they NEVER started together in the Premier League, or in any game other than the 2-0 win over Spurs in the Spanish capital.
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How Liverpool lined up in the 2019 Champions League final
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Instead, Klopp often called upon the likes of Joe Gomez, James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to deputise, along with Xherdan Shaqiri in attack.
Fans were shocked when they learned of the stat, with one reacting saying: “Surely not true?”
Another added: “Still fries my brain every time.”
A third wrote: “My mind can’t deal with this.”
And another commented: “If that’s legit, its the most mind-blowing piece of information I’ve read on twitter for quite a long time.”
Former skipper Henderson was also stunned when he was informed of the stat and revealed he was going to share the information with Klopp.
He said: “What, in that final? You’re joking, wow. What a stat that is!
“So they never played together before or after? That’s mad, that. Did you tell the gaffer that?
“I’m going to tell him if you never told him. I’m going to tell him when I see him!” More

JURGEN KLOPP transformed Liverpool into Champions League winners after picking the likes of Lucas Leiva and Alberto Moreno in his first starting line-up.The German took over in October 2015 with the Reds languishing in 10th place in the Premier League table.
Klopp transformed Liverpool into title winnersCredit: Getty
Liverpool looked vastly different in October 2015
Only three players were still around for Liverpool’s Premier League title win
Brendan Rodgers had led Liverpool to a sixth-place finish the season before.
But things were going downhill fast for the Reds, with Rodgers axed after failing to cope without the summer exits of Steven Gerrard and Raheem Sterling.
The club spent big to replace the pair, with Roberto Firmino and Christian Benteke arriving for considerable sums.
But neither had hit the ground running, and both were unavailable for Klopp’s first game in charge, a 0-0 draw away at Tottenham.
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He still had the in-form Philippe Coutinho to call on, with the Brazilian perhaps the only player who could get into the team of today.
But Liverpool were also-rans in domestic, and European, football.
The Reds have upgraded considerably in every department, and did it all while spending within their means.
Liverpool’s net spend of £755million under Klopp is less than any of their big six rivals over the same period, as is dwarfed by the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea.
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The German has spent hundreds of millions building a world class squad
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The club was very astute in its transfer dealings, cashing in on Coutinho for £142m and spending the money on Alisson and Virgil van Dijk, who took the side to the next level in terms of winning trophies.
Qualifying for the Champions League allowed Liverpool to attract the likes of Mo Salah and Fabinho, and gradually Klopp was able to mould a squad in his image.
Klopp implemented his gegenpress system thanks to a front three of Firmino, Salah and Sadio Mane, who will go down in Liverpool folklore.
He also got rid of players like Martin Skrtel, Moreno and Lucas and replaced them with pacy, high-energy stars like Andy Robertson, Georginio Wiljnaldum and Joel Matip.
They all formed part of Liverpool’s Premier League winning side in 2020 along with Trent Alexander-Arnold, with James Milner, Divock Origi and Adam Lallana the only members of Klopp’s first line-up featuring in that squad.
But after missing out on the Prem title despite a points tally of 92 in 2022, Klopp decided to mix things up a bit.
In came Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo as Klopp implemented more of a possession-based style, bolstered by the midfield arrivals of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominic Szoboszlai.
All but Gakpo have arrived for fees worth more than £50m, but Klopp has kept his squad fresh and negated the considerable offload by selling players like Fabinho, Mane and Jordan Henerson.
His new-look side are still fighting on four fronts – they lead the Premier League by four points, are into the Carabao Cup final, and remain in the FA Cup and Europa League.
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Remarkably, Klopp took his first Liverpool squad to the Carabao Cup and Europa League finals, losing both, before building his trophy-winning side.
His possession-based team also tasted domestic success, winning the Carabao Cup and FA Cup double in 2022.
Klopp has won seven trophies in charge of Liverpool More