David Moyes has responded to Jurgen Klopp after he explained why he wanted the Scot to remain in charge of West Ham United.
Moyes turned 60 on Tuesday and is the second-oldest manager in the Premier League, albeit still 15 years younger than Roy Hodgson, who recently returned to Crystal Palace.
However, until Hodgson returned to Selhurst Park, Moyes was the oldest manager in the top-flight, with Reds boss Klopp behind him in the pecking order. And the German joked on Tuesday afternoon that the Hammers must keep Moyes in charge to prevent him from becoming the oldest manager in the Premier League.
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"If West Ham had sacked David Moyes, I would have been the oldest manager in the Premier League, and I didn't want that!" the German said. "David has to stay! He's a top colleague."
Responding to Klopp, Moyes said: "I remember Jürgen Klopp mentioned it to me earlier in the season [as he was next behind me], and it didn’t seem right being the oldest manager in the Premier League.
"It’s what longevity does to you, and sometimes if you can stay the course, then you do become the oldest one. Roy has shown that hopefully there’s plenty more years to come as well."
One of the big changes made by Klopp in recent weeks has been Trent Alexander-Arnold's move into a hybrid position combining defensive and midfield duties. The England international has featured as part of a 'double six'.
"As everybody knows, his deliveries, his use of the ball, his range of passing – he has all those traits of a very good quarterback-type footballer," Moyes said when asked about the change.
"Also, he’s a good defender as well and has been an England international for many years too. For many years people have thought about Trent does he play in midfield, does he play as a full-back, and at the moment Liverpool have put him in there [the middle] a little bit more often and he’s played very well for them."
West Ham host Liverpool on Wednesday night on the back of a profitable week that saw them come from behind to draw 2-2 with Arsenal, reach the semi-finals of the Europa League, and thump Bournemouth 4-0.
The Hammers remain in the relegation battle, although their recent upturn in results has lifted them six points clear of the bottom three with a game in hand on the teams around them. But Moyes has not set side a points target to secure their Premier League survival.
He said: "I don’t think it’s fair to say what we need to stay up, but we need to get more points still. If we get more, it means the teams below us need to get more as well."
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