Jurgen Klopp has revealed his first thought when Carlo Ancelotti was appointed Everton manager – ‘Oh, God!’
Ancelotti is currently working wonders at Goodison Park with the Toffees winning every single one of their matches so far this season.
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They top the embryonic Premier League table with 12 points from a possible 12, and come into Saturday’s Merseyside derby on a high.
Liverpool, of course, are the champions and remain strong favourites to retain their crown – despite their 7-2 thrashing by Aston Villa last time out.
But Klopp believes Everton are now a serious threat to Liverpool’s title hopes under Ancelotti, telling talkSPORT there was ‘never any doubt’ the Italian would do an ‘incredible’ job with the Toffees.
In fact, Klopp was worried about Liverpool’s Mersey rivals as soon as he heard Ancelotti was appointed manager – with his immediate reaction one of fear.
The brilliant Reds boss spoke to talkSPORT ahead of our LIVE commentary of the Merseyside derby, revealing all about his relationship with his now cross-city rival.
“I love it,” said Klopp. “It is really difficult for both of us because we have to do like we hate each other, but we don’t.
“That is how it is. He is the manager of Everton, I’m Liverpool, but apart from that we have a really good relationship.
“He is doing an incredible job, there was never any doubt about that.
“When I heard he was going there I thought, ‘Oh, God’. I didn’t like that fact but he is there and he is doing an incredible job.”
It turns out that Klopp’s fears have become reality as Ancelotti’s early work on Merseyside has been nothing short of exceptional.
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And the German has admitted he’s had to sit up and take notice of Everton now Ancelotti is in charge – as he usually doesn’t bother himself with the Toffees.
But, for the first time in many, many years, Everton are now a ‘proper threat’ to Liverpool and serious title contenders, Klopp believes.
He added: “It is difficult coming in the middle of a season to turn things around, and now he has brought in a lot of really good players that fit in 100 per cent.
“I am not too interested in what Everton is doing usually but this year when I saw it, it was obvious like, ‘oh God he fits there perfectly, he fits there perfectly, him as well’.
“You could really see it was the perfect business for them and it makes them a proper threat immediately. Not in one, two, three years… immediately. That is what we all have to face.”
Laura Woods meets Jurgen Klopp: Listen to the full interview from 11am this Saturday on GameDay ahead of live commentary of Everton vs Liverpool at 12:30pm
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