Liverpool have now played every Premier League team at least once this season.
Jurgen Klopp’s side are currently in sixth place in the league table. The Reds trail fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur by seven points with two games in hand going into the international break.
With Liverpool often being a major talking point among the media and pundits, Premier League managers often get asked about the Reds. Whether it’s when something major happens at Anfield, or either before or after playing against Liverpool.
With that in mind, the ECHO has rounded up what Premier League managers have said about Liverpool throughout the season.
Mikel Arteta - Arsenal
“Our team is as well (work in-progress),” said Arteta, after Liverpool’s 3-2 defeat in October.
“I think you always want to get better. You always hear about the weaknesses that you want to improve. Liverpool are a magnificent team.
“I'm not here to judge what Liverpool are. I'm here to talk about what we do. I think what they've done in the last five years doesn't need any presentation – it's clear. They've been up there in every single competition for the last five years, so credit to them.
Pep Guardiola - Manchester City
"The game will be dictated by what happens on the pitch, not because we are in front [in the league],” said Guardiola, before Liverpool’s 1-0 win in October.
“My opinion I have for this team [Liverpool], nothing has changed. They always have been and always will be [our biggest title threat].
“I know the quality they have, they know the quality we have. If there were 10 games left, I think Liverpool could not catch the top of the league, in this case, Arsenal. But being in the position we are in, with the World Cup, anything can happen."
Erik ten Hag - Manchester United
“The result is obvious – it’s unprofessional,” said Ten Hag, after Liverpool’s 7-0 win in March.
“It’s a huge difference to Brentford (in August), we were 4-0 down at half-time then.
“Today in the first half I thought we were the better team and created the better chances. We had two one-on-ones with the goalie and then before half-time we made one mistake with organisation and conceded a goal.
“We were in the game. It was really a surprise for me after half-time that we so quickly gave the game away. The first two goals were defensive transition moments. We made some bad decisions.
“How we conceded the goal for the second was really annoying. The third was a counter and we were so unprofessional with the decisions. We were moving forward and giving the space away, and not tracking back. Then it’s 3-0 and the game is lost.”
Ten Hag added: “Then as a team you have to stick together and that’s what we didn’t do. It was a surprise for me. I haven’t seen this from my team. I don’t think it’s us. I don’t think it’s Manchester United. It’s really bad and poor.
“Look at the body language and the communication between each other. We didn’t cope with it together. We didn’t fulfil our jobs.
“But I know this team, we will reset and we have to bounce back. We have shown in the past we can.”
Antonio Conte - Tottenham Hotspur
"Yeah, but if you remember, he lost the Premier League for this result,” said Conte, before Liverpool’s 2-1 win in November.
He continued: "I understood his frustration. They lost the title for these two points [dropped]. But you know, instead we reached the Champions League with that draw."
Eddie Howe - Newcastle
“I think you have to be a bad loser. If you’re a good loser, you’re in the wrong job,” said Howe about Klopp, before Liverpool’s 2-0 win in February.
Reflecting on the reverse fixture at Anfield in August, Howe stated that he thinks that night helped Newcastle in the long run.
Howe said: “It may have helped us in some strange way, in that you go through that experience and you’re desperate not to feel that again.
“I don’t need any reminding of how painful losing is. I did that during my playing career and I hated that feeling.
“As a manager, it is probably 10 times worse, maybe 100 times worse. I actually detest it as a manager.”
Roberto De Zerbi - Brighton
“I was surprised by the different tactical disposition of Liverpool,” said De Zerbi, after Liverpool’s 3-0 defeat in January.
“Liverpool were different positions. (Trent) Alexander-Arnold in the first half was higher. They defended with only three defenders but we found a different solution.
“I have very smart players and they understand when there’s a different situation and they know now what they have to do on the pitch depending on the different situations.
“I don’t move my players with a joystick. I want to give my players instructions during the week in the training session but during the game they have to decide the solution.
“I’m always happy when we keep a clean sheet. Today we played well with and without the ball.”
Thomas Frank - Brentford
“I can’t say they are surprising me, the players, but they keep impressing me,” Frank told Sky Sports, after Liverpool’s 3-1 defeat in January.
“Obviously, a fantastic result for us in many, many ways but do what you’re capable of doing against Liverpool [is] very impressive.
“I would say it would be silly to say no (he had questions about his own team) because Ivan has been such a key player for us and been fantastic. If you asked me if I want to play him, of course I want to. But we need more than 11 players and Wissa came in and scored. He’s our second top scorer in the Premier League in the past two seasons and been fantastic.
“We knew he’s good to run in behind and that decision in the box for the second goal is something he’s good at. We still knew we wanted to play in behind. Maybe with Ivan up there is a little bit easier but the approach was the same.”
Marco Silva - Fulham
“If you ask me if I deserve something more, I think our players deserve something more from the game,” said Silva, after Liverpool’s 2-2 draw in August.
“I know Liverpool – more in the second half than the first – had more control of the game, but I think our organisation was great.
“Great first half, the way we blocked almost everything from them. In terms of organisation, our first half was almost perfect. The way we started the game, the intensity we played first half, was really, really good.
“I have to congratulate our players and our fans as well. To play like we played against Liverpool first half, how they are aggressive when they attack the space, we controlled all those moments really well.
“We matched them, and we know they are not just really good on the ball, without the ball they are really aggressive.
“I think we matched them from the first until the last minute of the match. We did really well, and maybe our players deserved something more from the game.
“It’s just one point, but I think it was a good performance from ourselves, and we have to go again.”
Graham Potter - Chelsea
“We were happy with the performance of the team, with the energy, the spirit and discipline we had,” said Potter, after Liverpool’s goalless draw in January.
"It’s never easy coming here because of Liverpool’s quality at Anfield. We accept the point and move forward in a positive way.”
Steve Cooper - Nottingham Forest
“It’s a brilliant win,” said Cooper, after Liverpool’s 1-0 defeat in October.
“To win a game against Liverpool you have to play well and you have to have big moments, particularly in both boxes - and we did, with scoring the goal and creating some more chances, and the saves and the defending we did in our box was fantastic,” he said.
“In terms of the result, it’s a positive result that we needed, because of the run we’ve been on. But also, it’s a really positive result and win because of the history and nostalgia around the game.
“I know that Forest supporters would have looked for when this game was going to be when the fixtures came out. I’m pleased that we’ve pleased many generations of supporters today, so that was good as well.”
Unai Emery - Aston Villa
"Yes but we know against Liverpool you are playing against a match that is open against them, we are going to have chances as well,” said Emery, after Liverpool’s 3-1 win in December.
“I want to be optimistic, very optimistic, and today I am disappointed. And I am a little bit angry but I think the attitude was amazing from the players.
“Some individuals and collective, tactical issues, but we did well. I want to be optimistic and I know we have to learn, to add more things tactically for the step up I want to make."
