Liverpool will not hold a grudge over Everton and Jordan Pickford when the two side’s meet in the Merseryside derby this afternoon, Reds boss Jurgen Klopp insists.
Virgil van Dijk ruptured his anterior cruciate ligaments following a reckless challenge by Pickford during the Premier League clash at Goodison Park earlier in the season.
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They also lost new signing Thiago Alcantara, also to a knee problem, for two and a half months at a key point in his settling-in period after a last-minute lunge by Richarlison, which saw the Brazil forward sent off in the 2-2 draw.
Van Dijk has not played since then and Liverpool’s Premier League form has since suffered but Jurgen Klopp insists his players will not be harbouring any thoughts of revenge during the 5.30pm meeting at Anfied – which is exclusively live on talkSPORT.
“I don’t know what I will think back when the season is over, to be honest,” Klopp said when asked whether he would look back at it being the date their title hopes faltered.
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“I hope I will think of something nicer than this. It was an important day, for sure. Nothing will be carried over until tomorrow.
“A week, two, three weeks later when we got the diagnosis (on Van Dijk) it was good that we didn’t play Everton immediately again.
“We are all human beings and of course it was not nice but now it is long gone.
“We just don’t think about that any more but it is still a derby and that is enough to be motivated on the absolutely highest level, trying to play the best possible football you can play, and that’s it pretty much.”
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Liverpool head into the match in sixth place, woefully out of form after a run of two league wins in the last 10, and just three points ahead of their neighbours, who also have a match in hand.
Everton have not won at Anfield since 1999 but Klopp is wary this could be their chance.
“A manager like Carlo (Ancelotti) helps each team in the world, that is clear beforehand,” he said of his fellow Premier League-winning counterpart.
“They have a really good squad so maybe they are closer than ever before.
“From a position in the table for sure, it is a while ago we were that close I think. I don’t know exactly, but probably closer than they have been before.”
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