Jurgen Klopp may have inadvertently offered his approval to Chelsea appointing Mauricio Pochetinno by heaping praise on the Argentine's former club.
Liverpool are enjoying a mini-revival after a somewhat underwhelming season, with Joel Matip's winner against West Ham on Wednesday night securing them a third straight win. The run has kept their faint Champions League hopes alive, ahead of another crucial game with Spurs on Sunday.
Tottenham lie fifth, just one place and two points above Klopp's men, amid a period of turmoil in North London. Under Ryan Mason, their second interim boss of the season, they battled back from 2-0 down to draw with Man United on Thursday, finally showing the intensity that was sadly missing in their harrowing defeat at Newcastle last Sunday.
But Klopp is still braced for a tough test at Anfield. And in a glowing reference to Pochetinno's previous five year stint at the club, he argued that Spurs still maintained the qualities that saw them reach the Champions League final in 2019 - where they were beaten 2-0 by The Reds in Madrid.
"This is a season where a lot of things were difficult for a lot of teams," he said, in Friday's press conference. "It's not a cool for us, but it opens the door for other teams. Little mistakes during a season can have a big impact.
"The team they (Tottenham) have is still exceptional. Why it didn't work out for them, I have no idea. They were for years the best counter-attacking team in Europe. I expect them to be really good."
After Julian Nagelsmann and Luis Enrique withdrew from the running, it emerged this week that a deal for Pochetinno to join Chelsea was nearing. And whilst Klopp has ensured managerial stability during his seven years at Anfield, the Blues have enjoyed anything but after another chaotic season.
New owner Todd Boehly sacked Thomas Tuchel just weeks into the season, only to later part company with replacement Graham Potter. And now interim boss Frank Lampard is also under pressure to see out the campaign, having lost all five of his games in charge so far.
Pochetinno has initially been interested in a return to Tottenham, only for the move to be quashed by the club's hierarchy. The Argentine boss is yet to speak publicly on his negotiations at Stamford Bridge, but a deal has reportedly been verbally agreed.
