Liverpool’s trip to Old Trafford is now just two days away, but Jurgen Klopp is not busy exchanging words with Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag, like you might expect.
Klopp has instead been sticking up for United’s under-pressure manager following two successive defeats and his comments have sparked a war of words with somebody very different. The Liverpool manager’s pre-match press conference on Friday did contain some of the more unusual content, with injury updates and team news also on the agenda.
Meanwhile, the Reds do not need to worry about facing United’s £60million new midfielder Casemiro, despite a deal being agreed with Real Madrid on Friday evening. Here Mirror Football brings you all the latest Liverpool news.
Firmino back fit
Liverpool have been hit hard by injuries of late, so the news that Roberto Firmino is fit and ready to replace the suspended Darwin Nunez against Manchester United comes as a relief.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Friday, Jurgen Klopp said: "Bobby has trained completely normally and is ready."
The Brazilian missed Monday’s 1-1 draw against Crystal Palace with a muscle complaint, but is very likely to start at Old Trafford, with Nunez out for three games after headbutting Joachim Andersen.
Firmino’s return is a boost, but Diogo Jota, Curtis Jones, Thiago Alcantara, Joel Matip and Ibrahima Konate all remain unavailable.
Klopp vs Agbonlahor
Friday saw a strange spat emerge between the Liverpool manager and former Aston Villa striker Gabby Agbonlahor.
Klopp had been annoyed listening to Agbonlahor’s analysis on talkSPORT of Manchester United’s 4-0 defeat by Brentford last weekend, in which he called Erik ten Hag’s players "amateur" and their performance "a shambles". “I was close to calling in!” Klopp said. “He wasn't a mentality monster when we beat Villa 6-0."
Agbonlahor responded to the dig about the defeat in February 2016 by posting on Instagram about Villa’s 1-0 win over Liverpool at Anfield… the year before Klopp became manager.
Read the full back and forth here.
Casemiro's status for derby
Manchester United announced on Friday evening that they had agreed a deal in principle to sign Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro, but he will not feature against Liverpool.
The 30-year-old will reportedly fly into Manchester by private jet on Saturday after United agreed to pay an initial fee of £60m plus a further £10m in potential add-ons. The five-time Champions League winner will become the club’s fourth summer signing.
However, he will not be eligible to make his debut at Old Trafford on Monday because he still has to undergo a medical and complete all the paperwork. United will therefore have to try and turn around their rotten form without him.
