Jurgen Klopp has called for Liverpool to be awarded the points if Monday night’s game at Manchester United is postponed due to fan protests.
Around 10,000 United fans plan to walk out before kick-off against owner Joel Glazer, amid fears that splinter groups will also try to invade the pitch and block access to Old Trafford.
The season before the United-Liverpool match on April 10 was suspended when a large demonstration led to fans clashing with police, while other supporters held up the team bus.
Jurgen Klopp has called for points to be awarded to his side if Monday’s game is postponed
Last year’s game between the two was postponed after fans invaded the Old Trafford pitch
On that occasion, the game was rescheduled, with Liverpool winning 4-2, but Klopp feels his side should not be forced to squeeze in an extra game when they were not to blame for any cancellation .
“I really hope it doesn’t happen, but if it does I think we should get the points,” he said.
“We have nothing to do with the situation if the (United) fans don’t want the game to happen. We can’t just rearrange the game again and try to fit it in somewhere in an incredibly busy period.”
Liverpool already have 25 games to play before the World Cup in November.
“We will get United, play the game with hope and go home,” Klopp said. ‘I have no idea what could happen. But in a situation like this, the other team should get the points because it has nothing to do with it. We have prepared for the game.
Liverpool still have 25 more games to play before the World Cup in Qatar later this year
Leaders of various United supporters’ organisations, including the influential 1958 group, are communicating on WhatsApp to avoid last season’s problems.
Thousands of people will set off from the Tollgate pub, near Old Trafford, an hour before the 8pm kick-off and finish at the famous Trinity statue outside the stadium, which features the legends of club George Best, Denis Law and Sir Bobby Charlton.
The Glazers have tried to appease fans by opening talks to sell a minority stake in the club and are signing midfielder Casemiro from Real Madrid, after a disastrous start to the season that saw them slide to the bottom of the table 4-0 from last weekend. defeat at Brentford.
There is widespread opposition to the owners, with the club almost £500m in debt. British billionaire Sir James Ratcliffe is among those interested in buying United if it is sold.
Avram and Joel Glazer have come under heavy criticism from Manchester United fans
Fans have regularly called on the Glazer family to sell the club and have staged several protests
Klopp, however, has no sympathy for his counterpart Erik ten Hag and revealed he has to plan for a different type of United team every time they change managers.
Ten Hag is the sixth man in the Old Trafford seat since Klopp joined Liverpool, following in the footsteps of Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and interims Michael Carrick and Ralf Rangnick.
He has given United’s squad a disjointed look and the German said: “All the managers played differently – Van Gaal and Mourinho very different. So we have to prepare in a completely different way. Otherwise I would be unnecessary as a coach if football always looked the same.
“Imagine the money Liverpool have saved by not paying all these managers – I should have said that when I signed my last contract!
‘You don’t have to feel sympathy for Ten Hag. If it’s football problems, we have problems. I’m not sure you would go to Manchester United and ask them if we have too many injuries.
‘The world of football is a sea of sharks. Being sympathetic will neither help them nor hurt them. We all have our problems and that’s it.
Erik ten Hag’s side have lost both of their Premier League games so far this season
Liverpool have won their last two games at Old Trafford with ease, scoring nine goals.
And if Klopp can complete a hat-trick, he will be the first Liverpool manager since Gerard Houllier to win three away games at United.
They have a long injury list, including Thiago Alcantara, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Joel Matip, Curtis Jones and Diogo Jota, but striker Roberto Firmino is fit to return in place of the suspended Darwin Núñez.
United have struggled to adapt to playing from the back and a lively press. Rangnick abandoned the pressing plan last season, claiming the players couldn’t do it, and there were defensive howls at Brentford.
The Glazers have tried to rebuild their relationship with the fans, but have yet to succeed
United lost 5-0 at home to Liverpool last season and face them this time too
Klopp’s own experience was different, with the Liverpool team seeming to buy into his “heavy metal football” straight away.
‘I loved our first game [a 0-0 draw at Spurs],’ he said. “We only had two days to recover from an international break, with just one session.
“For a first impression, it was outstanding. I can still see Adam Lallana flying around and pressing everyone in a different shirt. That was really great.
“I don’t think we’re going to hit the track with results. I haven’t read anything about us because you don’t have to worry about everything when you’re focused on the job and taking the small steps.
“My players could probably play good Pep Guardiola football if I could coach him.
“You can see from the pre-season how Ten Hag wants to play. It’s clear when you meet their Ajax team.
“But I can’t sit here before we play United and tell them how to do it, it’s not my thing.”